From the Heart of Steel
by xhady-yanzellx
Summary: Trish took everything away from Stacy. Now he wants Randy but it musn't happen coz Stacy thinks he's her destiny! But she's the tomboy and just his friend! Will her secret love story ever gonna have a happy ending? But is he really her destiny?
1. Chapter 1

hi guys! here's a new story for you! please read and review later okay? hope you like it.

**Chapter 1:**

"Hey guys!" Stacy said as she drove next to the guys, who were attending to their own bikes. She was wearing her favorite black T-shirt and baggy shorts along with her white sneakers.

"Yo man!" John Cena said to her as he fiddled with the wheels. Stacy got off her bike and walked smoothly next to Randy.

"How ya doin Randy?" she asked casually as they exchanged high-fives.

"Doin great Stacers!" Randy exclaimed. John looked at Stacy secretly and shook his head. Stacy saw him and she looked at him questioningly but John just shrugged. Stacy decided to leave him alone and maybe he was just pondering in his own thoughts. Stacy fixed her powder blue baseball cap. She really loved that cap, it was given to her by her dad. Even though she hates to admit it, she really misses her dad.

"You know what Stace? Blue's for baby's! Especially baby girls!" Mark told her and stuck out his tongue when he saw Stacy looking into space while fiddling with the cap.

"Stacy's a girl man!" John said before Stacy could react and hit Mark at the back of the head.

"Hah! Stacy! A girl? Doubt it!" Randy said and laughed hysterically. "Sometimes I think Stacy was born mistakenly in a girl's body!" he continued to laugh and Stacy couldn't help but blush and slapped Randy's back.

"Ow! See what I mean? She even slaps like a boy! That really hurt Stace!" randy said and pouted at Stacy.

"What do you say Stace?" Mark just asked her, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Let's just leave it there guys! Race you to the park. Last one's the dork!" Stacy just said and rode back in her bike and drove away. The guys were left looking at each other and just shrugged and followed Stacy.

Stacy drove furiously when she heard randy call her name. She threw a glance at him for a few seconds.

"Hey Stace!" he yelled at her.

"What?" she yelled back. _"God! He looks so cute with his face sweating under the sun!" _Stacy thought secretly.

"Wait for me!" he said to her and pedaled harder.

"This is a race you moron! Why should I wait for you?" Stacy snickered and Randy looked irritated.

"She's right you idiot!" John said as he rode past him. Randy drew a deep breath. The park was only a block away when John started to slow down.

"Curse this races!" he muttered. " I won't be the looser, as usual. It will be Mark!" he laughed secretly. John watched as Stacy slowed down a bit too, Randy was pedaling furiously until he rode past Stacy and arrived at the park first.

"Yeah! I win!" he exclaimed. John caught Stacy looking at Randy longingly. He just shook his head.

"When will Randy ever learn?" he asked himself.

"Man! When will I ever get to the park first?" Mark grumbled as he stopped next to John.

"That will be the day when pigs fly!" they all said in unison and laughed.

"Urgh! I really should stop asking that stupid question. You'd always gang up on me." Mark said and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Randy did the same.

"Yuck! You guys are so gross!" Stacy exclaimed.

"What?" Randy asked her confusedly.

"Try wiping with a towel!" Stacy said.

"As if you aren't doing it." Randy rolled his eyes as he came over to Stacy and wiped her forehead with his hands.

"Randy get away from me! You are such a pig!" Stacy exclaimed between fits of laughter and the feeling of cloud nine. "Eeew!"

"Did I just hear you say 'eeew'?" Randy asked her, smirking ear to ear.

"Huh? What? No way!" Stacy lied.

"Oh come on Stacers! You don't have to lie to your best friend!" Randy said.

"Why are you making this such a big deal?" Stacy asked him.

"Um, nothing. I just wanna tease you!" Randy said innocently and tickled Stacy.

"Randy!" Stacy protested.

"You guys, would mind if we're here?" Mark asked stupidly.

"Wait, my phone's ringing!" Stacy said to Randy and Randy let go of her and went to Mark and gave him a mock punch to the stomach.

"What are you trying to say? We were having a moment?" Randy said.

"Well isn't that obvious!" Mark replied.

"Stacy's my best friend! She's a…" Randy was lost for words and John gladly continued.

"Stacy's a girl!" he said and laughed.

"Stop being ridiculous guys!" Randy said and just smiled. "Hey Stace! Can we hang out in your place now?" Randy shouted but as he turned to face Stacy, they all saw her went pale and her hand gripping her phone was shaking.

"Stacy, are you okay?" John asked worriedly as he ran next to her.

"Dad's back. He's back." She answered softly.

"So, you should be happy. You missed your old man, I know." John said and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"He's back with Trish." She said and the guys went silent. They have heard about Trish from Stacy.  
"Man, that must be pretty awkward." Mark just said and patted Stacy's back.

a/n: i know it's a bit short but i wish you like it. so tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"Um, guys. I think I need to go now." Stacy said slowly after putting her phone back to her pocket as she turned to them. Mark tried to smile sympathetically. Randy came to Stacy's side.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked softly and touched her cheek. Despite of the sadness Stacy was feeling that very moment, she couldn't really brush the light feeling she was having when Randy gave her this sweet gesture.

"Yeah, I will be I guess. Just as long as you guys will be here for me aight?" Stacy just said while trying to put on a brave smile.

"Alright! No need for being mushy now guys!" Mark exclaimed and slapped Stacy's back hard.

"Yeah! This is the Stacy we know! Stacy warrior princess!" Randy teased and this was enough to make Stacy smile again.

"Shut up Randall!" Stacy said.

"You just don't loose your cool alright Stace?" John said as he put his hand on her shoulder as if by doing this, he can let Stacy know about his concern for her. As a friend.

"And if ever she messes with you, she's messing with us! Just tell us when or where and we'll beat her up!" Mark suggested.

"You dimwit! You can't beat a girl up!" John told him and smack the back of Mark's head.

"Geez! No need with the hitting! I was just trying to lighten Stacy's mood and help her ya know!" Mark said defensively and Randy laughed before talking again.

"We'll be here for you okay? That's the point there. Call us up when you need to talk to someone." He said and Stacy nodded.

"See you some other time guys!" Stacy yelled as she drove away from them.

"Good luck Stacers." The guys whispered.

"So Randy…" Mark started but Randy seemed to know what Mark was up to.

"Shut up man!" he just said. "So guys, we couldn't just stay here and gawk at Stacy's back forever, wanna go play hoops?" he asked them and John and Mark just shrugged in approval and nodded.

"Randy went back to his bike and drove away. Mark and John were left behind.

"Man he is so blind!" Mark sighed and John agreed.

"I agree with you man! Why can't he just---" John started to say but Randy yelled at them.

"You guys coming or what?"  
"Right behind you Ran!" John yelled back and they just shook their heads. They mounted their own bikes and followed Randy.

Stacy meanwhile was taking her time riding home. Everyone knows she could go faster but she wants to delay the time he meets her dad and worst, her half-sister. She was pedaling slowly as her mind started to drift to that night when her life changed forever.

_Flashback:_

"_See you tomorrow Stace!" the guys yelled as they drove away from Stacy's driveway. Stacy waved her hands as she took her baseball cap off and went inside their house. She was quite surprise to find it so gloomy and quiet. Where could her mom and dad be? Usually she'd find them in the living room watching television and having a good laugh._

"_Mom? Dad? I'm home!" she yelled as she walked towards the stairs when she heard sobbing from the next room. She dropped her bag at the foot of the stairs and slowly walked towards the door and peeked inside. She saw her mom crying. Her eyes widened in shock. Why could her mom be crying? Without thinking twice, she walked towards her mom._

"_Mom? Are you alright?" she asked worriedly. Her mom looked at her with horror on her tear-streaked face. But it only lasted for awhile as it changed to anger. She was looking at something on the other side of the room. Stacy followed her mom's gaze and saw her father._

"_Dad? I thought you're in Boston?" she asked, her heart was starting to beat faster. She could sense something was not right._

"_Tell her Frank! You tell her yourself!" her mom yelled. Her dad hung his head low._

"_Dad?" Stacy called him and waited for him to say something._

"_I'm so sorry honey." Her dad said as he slowly walked towards her._

"_Why are you saying sorry anyway? Did you break mom's china?" she tried to joke to ease her uneasiness but her dad didn't smiled and her mom cried harder._

"_Baby, I know this must be very hard for you but always remember that daddy really loves you very much." Her dad told her as he held Stacy's hands to his chest._

"_You don't love her! If you love her, if you love me, you wouldn't have done this!" her mom said between tears. Stacy transferred her gaze from her mom to her dad._

"_What's going on here guys?" she said in a loud and tensed voice._

"_Irene, I'm sorry, I really am, I thought I would ever learn to love you but… but I failed. I thought that was the best choice, the best decision to make." Her dad said._

"_Dad?" Stacy exclaimed when she heard those words._

"_Why bother telling her those lies? Why don't you just tell her that you've been seeing another woman for the past fourteen years!" her mom said in pure anger and it was like a cannon exploding to her ears._

"_No!" Stacy cried out silently._

"_Baby, baby? Listen to daddy. Daddy really loves you and really cares for you. No matter what happens between mom and dad, it doesn't change the fact that I'm your dad and---" he tried to say but Irene cut him off._

"_Get your hands away from her. Don't tell her anymore lies. Don't make her anticipate for something that she can never have!" her mom yelled and pulled her aside. Stacy's mind went numb as she tried to absorb every word they were saying._

"_And if you ask Stacy, you're no longer daddy's only little girl! He lied to us! To you! What's her name again Frank? Trish? Stacy, sooner or later you're gonna meet her daughter Trish!" Stacy's mom told her._

"_Irene!" Frank snapped at her mom and tried to come near her._

"_No, don't touch me! I hate you!" Stacy told him and he thought he was injected with venom._

"_You heard her Frank, get away from her." Her mother scoffed and tried to put an arm around Stacy's shoulders but she pushed her away._

"_No! You too! You get away from me! I hate you! I hate both of you!" Stacy exclaimed and ran outside to her bike._

"_Stacy come back!" they called after her but she didn't look back, instead she pedaled furiously. She didn't know where to go. She was lost, she was alone but she didn't feel any fear. Anger was boiling up inside her. Then she saw a lighted house two blocks away. She slowed down a bit and thought for a second before finally stopping. She needs someone. She needs a friend. She knocked slowly and the door opened._

"_Stacy?" John asked confusedly. "Are… are you alright? Did you just… cry?" and without warning Stacy threw herself to him and started crying once again._

"_Hey John! What's taking you so long?" Randy's voice rang._

"_Stacy?" he asked when she saw Stacy. Stacy quickly pulled away from John and wiped her tears away._

"_Are you alright?" Randy asked her. "What happened?" He asked and approached his two friends. Mrs. Cena also came over to see what the commotion is about._

"_It's dad… it's dad…" Stacy sobbed and between tears she told them about what happened._

"_Oh honey. Come here." Mrs. Cena said and embraced her affectionately._

"_I can't believe it." John and Randy said. Then the phone rang. Stacy knew who was calling and she looked at Mrs. Cena, she nodded. She disappeared to the next room and left Stacy with the guys. John and Randy hugged her to give her comfort._

"_It was your dad. I told him you're here and you'll be staying for the night." She said and Stacy thanked her. John, his mom and Randy accompanied Stacy to John's room where Stacy going to sleep. John was gonna sleep at the living room in the sofa. Mrs. Cena let Stacy borrow some of her clothes that could fit Stacy. After fixing herself, Stacy looked at herself in the mirror and all she could see was oblivion. Her eyes saw a picture in John's mirror, it was taken during his birthday the past year. It was the four of them, Stacy, Randy, John and Mark. They felt more of a family than her own that very moment._

"_Stacy?" John knocked on the door. Stacy jerked her head and quickly opened the door._

"_You okay now?" he asked, Stacy looked past John and saw Randy._

"_Yeah, I will be. I just can't believe I lived in a lie for fourteen years." She said and tried to laugh._

"_Stop being so brave." Randy said._

"_Boys! Leave Stacy alone! She needs rest." John's mom called to them._

"_We'll be downstairs if you need us. Randy's called his folks and said he'll be staying here for tonight." John said and went downstairs with Randy._

"_Thanks guys." She whispered and they just gave her salutes. Stacy went inside the room and dropped down to the bed._

"_Oh dad!" she mumbled and started crying again._

_End of Flashback_

Stacy stopped her bike in front of her house. She saw her dad's old car parked in the driveway. She let out a deep breath and got off her bike. She went to the front door and pushed it open. She gasped when she saw another blonde girl in front of her all dressed in pink.

"Hi! I'm Trish! You must be Stacy! Glad to meet you Sis!" the girl said and suddenly hugged her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Stacy's eyes widened. Who is this girl who just hugged her? She pushed her away and gave her an accusing look.

"I see you've meet Trish, Stacy." She heard that oh so familiar voice. That voice that she hasn't heard for two years. The voice that she secretly anticipated hearing each night before she goes to sleep.

"Dad?" she asked in a half-whisper. She couldn't believe, there was her dad standing behind Trish. She was in a battle to smile, to laugh, to cry or to get angry with the man.

"Won't you give your old man a hug?" he asked, his eyes smiling. Stacy just looked at him.

"I'd be surprise if she's ever going to give you one." Her mom's voice floated in the room. Stacy ran to her and gave her a kiss.

"I'm going out again." Stacy said to her and went upstairs to her room.

"Where am I going to sleep dad?" Trish asked in a sickening sweet voice.

"You're going to share rooms with---" but Frank wasn't able to finish his sentence because they heard a scream from upstairs. Irene looked at Frank angrily and ran to Stacy's room. Frank and Trish followed.

"Whose bags are these and why are they in my room?" she asked angrily.

"Those are mine!" Trish answered with a look of horror on her face when she saw her bags scattered on the floor.

"Trish is staying here with us and you are going to share your room with her." Frank said.

"Oh really? Do I remember myself agreeing to that? Let me think, no way." Stacy answered. She wanted to leave the house and not set her eyes on Trish. She feels angrier by the second with this blonde bimbo.

"Now Stacy, I am your father and you follow what I say." He said, his voice trailed with warning.

"Wow! That was an excellent line _dad_! Sorry but I'd rather keep my room for myself _dad_! I don't care where she sleeps just as long as it isn't in my room and she stays out of my sight." Stacy said and slammed her door close. Irene smiled secretly and walked away.

"Dad?" Trish called.

"Yes dear?"

"I don't think Stacy really wants me here." She said.

"No honey, she's just trying to adjust now that you are here." He answered and his mind floated to Stacy. _What happened to sweet little Stacy I know?_

"Don't worry honey, Stacy's gonna share her room with you." Frank assured her and hugged Trish and Trish let out a smirk. For what, nobody knows…

Stacy's ragged breath filled the room. Her chest was heaving up and down as she looked at herself in the mirror. She wanted to scream and release the anger building up inside of her but she couldn't. She doesn't want her mom to think she was affected by Trish's presence. As she looked at her reflection on the mirror, she saw another face. It was Trish. She was poking her head inside looking at her through the mirror.

"What do you want? I told you I don't want to share my room." Stacy snapped at her. But Trish opened the door and let herself in.

"But dad said, it's okay." She answered and put her bags on top of Stacy's bed.

"But I didn't say it's okay!" Stacy yelled.

"Cool down Sis." Trish said as she gave Stacy a smile. Stacy's face turned beet red when she heard Trish call her Sis. Trish secretly gave a smile of satisfaction when she saw Stacy's reaction.

"We are not sisters." She said in a growled voice. But this didn't scare Trish, she just continued to look at Stacy innocently and sat on Stacy's bed.

"Urgh!" Stacy growled and started to walk away.

"Don't touch any of my things or you're dead meat!" she warned Trish before slamming the door behind her. Trish smiled victoriously.

"What a horrible room!" she exclaimed and paced around Stacy's room. She picked up a picture frame that was beside Stacy's lampshade. It was Stacy's picture of her with her three guy friends, Randy, John and Marc. Stacy was sandwiched between John and Randy when John's mom took the picture. Trish smiled when she saw this particular guy's face.

"You're cute and hot, and just exactly my type." She said as she pointed her finger to his face. She returned the picture frame and looked around Stacy's room. She plopped down on the bed.

"Mmm… so soft! So different from my own bed! I could get used to this." She said and started jumping up on down. Stacy's pillows fell down and Trish saw a picture. She stopped bouncing and bent down to pick it up. Trish saw it was a picture of Stacy and her dad. Stacy was still a little girl on the picture and was sitting on Frank's lap.

"Aww! Poor wittle Stacy! Sorry Stace but you're no longer his only princess. But I guess you learned that years ago!" she said in a mock sad voice and tore the picture into little pieces.

She opened Stacy's cabinet and cringed.

"What an ugly array of clothes!" she said when she saw Stacy's jeans and t-shirts. She went to her bag and started unpacking. She took all Stacy's clothes out of the cabinet and stuffed it all in a corner and loaded her own clothes. She smiled.

"Alright, alright! Wait up! I'm coming!" Randy yelled as he ran to the door.

"Sheesh! Who could be at the door? He could have took off the hinges with the banging!" Randy grumbled.

"What took you so long!" Stacy demanded when Randy finally opened the door.

"Oh! It's you! I thought you were a madman or something!" Randy exclaimed.

"Stupid!" she muttered under her breath.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? Why are you so… are you throwing a tantrum?" Randy asked as they walked towards the stairs.

"Urgh! I hate her! I hate her! I hate her face! I hate her voice!" she yelled and Marc and John poked their heads to see what the commotion was all about.

"Who?" Marc asked.

"You really need to ask?" John asked raising an eyebrow and Marc just look at him blankly.

"Trish!" they all yelled in unison.

"Oh! Okay!" Marc just said and waited for Stacy to say another word. Stacy ranted on and on about what happened.

"But why did you go home in the first place when you don't want to see your dad?" Randy asked her.

"I had to. Mom called me up and expected to see me unaffected of his presence." Stacy said and picked up a pillow and threw it across the room.

"Frank even insisted we share rooms! I am not sharing a room with that hag!" she exclaimed. The guys looked at each other. Stacy just called her dad with his first name. She must be really angry.

"But… you agreed?" John said. And Stacy sadly nodded.

"What was I to do? I'm just the daughter and they're the old folks!" Stacy sighed.

"You shouldn't have left. You just gave Trish the satisfaction." John said and Randy nodded. Stacy was more depressed than she was before she drove to Randy's house.

"You just gave her the idea that she won over you. You showed her you're weak!" Randy told her.

"Fight Stace!" Marc cheered.

"Do I have any other choice?" Stacy dropped her shoulders. She was tired. She didn't deserve this, she thought.

"Come on, we'll drive you home." John offered and extended his hand to her.

"Thanks John. I don't know what I'd do without you." Stacy said gratefully. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys!" she corrected as she looked at Randy.


	4. Chapter 4

**hi guys i'm back with a new chap for this one. i was busy and if you haven't read it yet, my other fic just ended. so my concentration will be on this one now. read on...**

**Chapter 4:**

"Um guys, would you like to go shoot some hoops?" Stacy asked suddenly as they were all mounting their bikes. She couldn't quite look at the straight in the eyes as she said those words. She really doesn't want to be home just yet. They all looked at her and she just shrugged her shoulders and gave them a weak smile.

"Come on Stace, we'll drive you home now." John said while giving emphasis to the word now. Stacy thought he quickly saw through her. _You know me too much John. _She wanted to say to him but she just dropped her shoulders and followed Randy who was leading their small troop. "Stace, let's go." John urged her again and she started to push the pedals.

"What else can I do?" Stacy just said. She didn't notice Randy slow down. She was a bit surprised when suddenly they were level with each other.

"Hey…" she heard him in his usual cool voice. Stacy didn't look at him.

"Hey…" Stacy just replied.

"Come on. Don't worry. What did we tell you?" Randy asked her, he was looking at her through his blue eyes that Stacy secretly likes so much. She couldn't dare look at him.

"That you guys will always be there for me?" Stacy answered uncertainly as though she wasn't sure of her words.

"Yeah. So come on." Randy replied with a smile as he offered her a hand. His other hand was still gripping one side of the handle. Stacy smiled to match his and they rode their bikes hand in hand. Marc and John couldn't help but share a secret smile.

"You know what Stace, you are just so stubborn at times." Randy commented and Stacy didn't answer. They pedaled in silence but that didn't stop John and Marc from being goofy right behind them.

Stacy and the guys parked their bikes just outside Stacy's house as they arrived.

Stacy's spirits was lifted after she spent time with her friends. Randy didn't fail to make her laugh. He cracked so many jokes in front of her even though he looked stupid more than once. Stacy's laughter was heard once again. She had almost forgotten her problem by that time.

"Now Randy, you really did a great job fixing Stacy up." John said in an awed voice as he slapped Randy's back so hard, he looked at Stacy and he was really right. She was back to normal. There was something else in his mind but he quickly shook the thought away.

"No…" he slowly muttered to himself. He just returned his attention to Marc who was now making smart comments about Randy.

"Yeah, and you made a great job in looking stupid too!" Marc teased and they shared a high five with John.

"Stop it guys!" Randy said. "Anything for Stacy! You know that! And I know you would do the same thing." he answered rather defensively. Stacy couldn't help but feel so tingly all over. She just couldn't help it when Randy shows concern for her. Randy was holding her hand once again. She looked at their intertwined hands and she felt heaven once more.

"That's what friends are for!" Randy said and Stacy's excitement went down a notch. She was about to say something to her friends when the front door suddenly opened before Stacy could reach the knob.

"Hi Stacy!" I've been waiting for you! Where have you gone?" Trish said in her usual sweet voice. "Urgh! Here's that stupid irritating voice again!" Stacy thought to herself as she looked at Trish with disgust. Then she realized Trish wasn't looking at her anymore. She was looking straight at someone right behind her. Her eyes couldn't deny the desire. Stacy's heart pumped fast.

"What?!" she couldn't help but feel so agitated by her look that she yelled at her. Trish seemed startled but the grin on her face didn't vanish.

"Nothing!" she answered and returned her gaze to the fuming Stacy. "Are you Stacy's friends? I saw you in the pictures in her room. I'm Trish, her sister." Trish said to them as she looked at all the three guys.

"Hmmm… they're the ones on Stacy's picture. And he's really hot! They're all drop-dead gorgeous… But this guy is totally my type." Trish thought to herself, she dropped a casual glance at Randy and saw his hand intertwined with Stacy. She subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

John and Marc just looked at her blankly.

"You're not my sister, okay?!" Stacy told her in a more firm tone as she stared coldly at Trish. But Trish merely smiled at her.  
"I'm Trish and you are? I just arrived from Boston and I really want to meet some new friends. I don't want to get so bored here. You guys always spend the day out of the house?" she ranted to them and smiled.

"I'm Randy…" Randy said and extended an arm to her. He was grinning ear to ear.

"Nice to meet you Randy." Trish replied.

"Well she's actually very generous of her smiles." Marc whispered to John and John shoved an elbow to his stomach.

"And this is John…" Randy introduced Trish. "And that one is Marc, he's John's cousin…" Randy continued. Trish kept smiling like she just got her Christmas present months early.

Stacy couldn't believe Randy. One minute ago, he was by her side consoling her and telling her to be strong and firm when it comes to Trish. And now there he is, fraternizing with the enemy! Stacy turned to look at John and Marc with a questioning look. They answered her with shrugs.

"If you want I can---" Randy started telling Trish without letting go of her hand but John quickly cut him off.

"Oh! Nice meeting you too Trish but I'm afraid us guys have somewhere to go. Bye see you some other time." John said and quickly pulled Randy away.

"We do?" Randy asked them.

"Yes, Randy. Don't you remember?" John said and Randy scratched the back of his head confusingly.

"Bye Stace! Take care okay!" John told her as he forced Randy to hop on his own bike.

"Don't worry. I will. Bye John… Randy…" Stacy said in a shaky voice.

"Bye Trish! Bye Stacy!" Randy yelled to the two of them. Trish tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before smiling a little too enthusiastically at Randy.

"Wow Stacy! You have cool friends!" Trish said in a cheery voice while following Stacy inside the house. Stacy didn't answer her, she just ignored her. She took off her baseball cap and untied her hair while going up the stairs. Trish didn't seem to mind the silence. She just continued to talk to her.

"I saw your picture with them in your room. How long have you been friends? You seem so close to each other you know?" Trish continued. Stacy tried to close the door behind her as she entered the room but Trish pushed it open one more before she could fully close it.

"How could she continue talking like this when I'm ignoring her. She must be some kind of lunatic! She's like talking to the wall!" Stacy commented in her mind. She opened her closet to keep her baseball cap when…

"Aaah!" she screamed! "What happened to my clothes?" she exclaimed as she advanced on her. Trish backed a few steps. Then Stacy spotted her own clothes huddled together in a corner. She gathered them all and started to put them all back in her closet. She wanted to barf at the sight of pink clothes hanging in her closet.

"Sorry… I just didn't know where to put your clothes." Trish told her in a would be innocent voice.

"You don't have the right. This is my room! You're just… you're just a nobody!" Stacy told her through gritted teeth.

"I told you I'm sorry. Won't happen again!" Trish said and raised a hand as a sign of a promise. Stacy let out a low growl.

"So like I said, you seem very close with the guys. I have a lot of boyfriends back in Boston." Trish told her.

"So?" Stacy cocked an eyebrow. "Like I'm interested of what you are." She added as an afterthought.

"Oh well, are you going out with Randy?" she suddenly asked out of the blue.

"What?!" she used the same irritated voice.

"Um, you know, I find him hot…" Trish answered her boldly.

"Then I'm telling you to stay away from him!" Stacy told her, with a hint of anger on her voice.

"Tell me? Um, are you two going out?" Trish continued to question her.

"No…" she answered lowly.

"Great!" she exclaimed. Her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Like he'd spend time with you." Stacy told her in return.

"Oh, maybe yes, maybe no." Trish replied and started to walk away leaving Stacy fuming with anger.

"And oh by the way Stacy." She continued before closing the door. "What I want, I always get…" and smiled evilly.

_a/n: oh so sorry for a very very late update guys! i wish you still like reading this though. so hit me with a review on what you think. thanks a lot._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Stacy lay quite still on her bed. It was already twelve in the midnight and yet she was still wide-awake. Different thoughts were running through her mind. So many things happened that day. She wondered how she was still alive that very moment. She sighed heavily as she casted a quick glimpse at Trish.

"More or less, this all your fault." She hissed. Trish just shifted from her position and moaned something.

"Randy…" Stacy distinctly heard her bestfriend's name come out of Trish's lips. Blood rushed to her head and she shot up out of her own bed.

"I hate you." She said through gritted teeth and grabbed her phone. She walked out of the room, leaving Trish alone. She walked to her mom's room and peeked inside. Her dad was also in there but he was sleeping on the couch. She quietly closed the door and crept her way downstairs. She was confused… her emotions were mixed up. She badly needs to talk to someone. Someone who would understand her. She was gripping her cellphone firmly. She ran to the front door. She went to her bike and pedaled down the road. Stacy could feel the bone chilling air wash her face. She smiled grimly, this perfectly suits what she feels right now. Bone chilling sadness and confusion. She stopped in front of a very familiar house. She looked at her cellphone and found out it was already half past midnight.

"_Hei, you awake?" _she typed and sent the text message to him. She looked at his window and waited.

"_Yeah, why?" _came his reply.

"_I need to talk to someone right now and I hope it would be you." _She quickly typed.

"_Why? What's wrong?" _

"_Can you come out now? I'm freezing here outside." _The message must have reached him right away because Stacy saw his bedroom light turn on. Not long after that, she saw John's head peeking through the gap of the open door. Stacy quickly ran to him and without warning hugged John. John drew a sharp breath. He just remembered something. He couldn't say it was déjà vu because it really happened before. He hugged her back. For comfort. John caressed the back of her head. For comfort. John sighed.

"Stacy? It's the middle of the night!" John exclaimed, he was in fact in his sleeping clothes.

"Maybe, I did a mistake coming here." Stacy answered and quickly pulled away.

"No, Stace, it's not that. I was just shocked that's all. Well who wouldn't be…" John told her while holding her arm to stop her from taking another step away. Stacy didn't attempt to walk away. She slowly returned next to John.

"Sorry." Stacy mumbled.

"Stace, are you okay?" John asked her. his voice so full of concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." She said without meeting John's eyes. She started to walk away once again, heading to her bike but John stopped her again.

"Stacy Marie, come on tell me. I know there's something bothering you. You wouldn't be here in the first place if you're okay." John said. Whenever Stacy has a problem, almost everyone would know that she's in John's place. John has always been her confidante, her punching bag and her shock absorber.

"Nothing. Sorry for bothering you John. I have to go." Stacy said, This is too much. She thought.

"Stacy. You already pulled me out of bed so might as well make it worthy. You know you can always come to me whenever something is bothering you." John convinced Stacy. If it were any other girl, he wouldn't be out there trying to stop her from going away. He might have gone back in and go back to sleep. But Stacy isn't just any other girl. No she's not. She's his best friend!

Stacy stopped dead in her tracks and let out a huge sigh. She slowly turned around and met John's eyes.

"John, I feel so bad…" she started and John walked the distance between them.

"Come on…" John said. Stacy looked at him curiously when he walked past her. Then John mounted her bike to her surprise. Stacy followed him… John just looked at her and Stacy got the meaning. She sat in front of him and John started to pedal his way. They rode in silence then Stacy found themselves in front of the park.

"Now, let's talk…" John said.

"Thanks so much John… Thanks so much." Stacy said gratefully.

"Umm, now remind me, what did I do… I must have missed it." John answered her with a bit of amusement in his voice.

"Oh, for just being her with me. Thanks so much." Stacy answered. That was really the truth.

"Don't worry. You know you can always count on me. That's what friends are for right?" John assured her and patted her back.

"I know but this is too much." She voiced out her thought earlier.

"Oh as long as you won't abuse this friendship." John laughed. "It's okay really."

"I think I already am… pulling you out of bed in the wee hours of midnight." She said in almost a whisper.

"Wee? Now I know you're not really okay. Tell me what's bothering you." John told her as he felt her head to check if she was not being delirious at all. Stacy simply swatted his hand away.

"Ow!" John said in a mock pained voice. Stacy smiled sarcastically before answering his query.

"I'm just not used to have dad back at home. Come on! He's been gone for two years for pete's sake!" Stacy exclaimed and let out a big sigh. "Now he's back with someone he knows I can never accept as family!" John knew Stacy meant Trish and he just nodded in response not knowing exactly what to say.

"I finally found the courage to start to move on without him John." Stacy continued bitterly and she looked at John.

"Stace, you know you can't do that. He's you father no matter what happens, he'll always be a part of your life." John interrupted her.

"The thing is, was he even a good father?" Stacy said, tears almost falling down from her eyes.

"Think of what you just said Stace. And answer your question." John slowly replied and it definitely got Stacy thinking.

"He was. He was. Before I found out about Trish." She answered truthfully. "But he caused me to live a lie John!"

"Not a lie Stacy. Not a lie. Maybe you'll hate me for saying this but, look at Trish's reaction to what's happening." John tried to make Stacy see that she wasn't handling things the right way and he just hopes she doesn't take it wrong.

"You don't even know Trish, how would you know how she thinks and how she's taking this?" Stacy growled at John, he raised his arms in front of her.

"Hey, hey easy. But do you know Trish enough to judge her that way?" John answered her.

"Whose side are you taking John? Because it seems to me right now that you're taking _their_ side! I shouldn't have bothered talking to you like this if I knew you'd be giving me these stupid advises!" Stacy started to walk away from her friend but John was too quick. He got hold of her hand before she could walk on any further.

"Stacy, I'm just trying to help you see things from both sides. Just because I'm your friend, I'll agree with you right away. I will not be a true friend if I just let you in things that seems wrong or think wrong for this matter. I just want you to be open-minded that's all." John explained to her calmly. Stacy stopped dead in her tracks.

"Stacy, do you understand what I'm saying?" John asked her finally and Stacy slowly nodded.

"Good. Now what else is bothering you?" John asked as he pulled her next to him.

"Trish…" She replied softly.

"I thought we're done with that matter." John asked her patiently.

"No." She said simply. "Trish said she wants Randy. And I don't want that to happen!" she said in a more loud voice.

"Easy princess. You're gonna wake the whole neighborhood!" John said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "So?" he taunted her. John knows Stacy is serious about the matter but he just couldn't help but feel a bit amused. Is Stacy going to confess on what she really feels?

"So?" he repeated when Stacy remained silent.

"I don't want that to happen." She repeated her answer, she was thinking if it is alright to tell John about her secret.

"But why?" John asked her, waiting for further answer.

"Because… Because…" she was still not sure… _but he's my best friend… _she thought more.

"Because…" John prodded her.

"Because I like him alright!" Stacy said. She was glad it was dark in the park or John might have seen how red she was! Even though John expected that answer, he couldn't help but feel a little bit taken aback.

"Hah! Finally!" John just answered which made Stacy turn to him sharply.

"Huh?" she was looking at him inquisitively.

"Finally, you let that out!" John told her and shook her hand.

"You knew?" Stacy was trying to get some confirmation from her friend who was now laughing beside her. "John! Come on! It isn't that funny!" Stacy said and started to walk away again.

"Sorry Stace. Just couldn't help it." John told her and straightened himself once more. Stacy returned to her seat but kept her mouth shut. John didn't want to say something. He just waited for Stacy to say something first. They just sat there in silence.

"Is it really that obvious?" Stacy asked suddenly, breaking the barrier of silence.

"To us? Yes. To Randy? No…" John answered her briefly.

"Us?" Stacy asked, maybe she just heard wrong.

"Yeah, us. Marc and I." John clarified.

"Why not Randy?" She asked him.

"Um… Reason number one, he's dumb and stupid. Reason number two he's one callous person." John told her straightly. Stacy wanted to protest on how John described Randy but she didn't argue.

"Or reason number three, he just likes me as a friend, no more, no less, he chooses to see me as only a friend." Stacy finished. John nodded slowly. And they were in silence again.

"John, I just have this horrifying idea…" Stacy poked John in the side.

"What!" John exclaimed in a surprised voice.

"Maybe Randy likes… maybe Randy likes… Trish…" her voice trailed off just as she tried to say Trish but John completely understood. "You saw the way they looked at each other today."

"I don't know… But I have the perfect idea…" John said trying to keep Stacy's spirit high. Dealing with her dad and Trish in one day, he's surprised she hasn't collapsed.

"What?" Stacy asked suspiciously.

"You want to know Randy's feelings right? And whatever those feelings are, you want to keep Trish away from Randy right?" John turned to her.

"Yeah… so?" Stacy was totally lost…

"I have this really perfect idea okay. So listen to me…" John said and Stacy listened as John told her his idea.

"You'd do that for me?" Stacy asked, her eyes as round as pennies and John nodded.

"John I don't know about that though…" Stacy said uncertainly.

"Stacy, it will like hitting two birds with one stone. Trust me, it's gonna work out." John assured her.

"Really? Your idea seems to suggest that Randy has this feeling for me too… and I really doubt that he has." Stacy answered truthfully.

"But we're not sure… What better way to be sure than this plan?" John continued to pursue her.

"Oh! Okay!" Stacy finally agreed.

"Alright!" John shot his fist to the air. "Come on, I'll take you home…" John said and like the way they arrived at the park, they went home. John still on the handle with Stacy slowly drifting off to sleep in front of him.

"Stacy we're here…" John slowly waked Stacy up and Stacy saw they were already in her front door.

"What about you?" Stacy asked him groggily.

"I'll just walk home." John replied but before he could take a step away, Stacy stopped him.

"Just sleep here, okay?" Stacy said to him and pointed at the sofa. John gave it a thought and nodded.

"Okay." John said and they crept inside the house silently. Stacy slowly converted it to a 'bed'. It's comfortable enough. John plopped down the sofa bed.

"What are you doing?" He asked when he saw Stacy laid down next to him.

"Oh please! Like I'm going to sleep right next to Trish." Stacy rolled her eyes and John just nodded.

By morning…

Randy was knocking on the front door. He was cracking his knuckles out of nervousness.

"Now Randy… don't be nervous. You've been in this house for a millionth time already…" he thought to himself.

Irene, Stacy's mom came down the stairs in a hurry while tying her robes close

"Who could it be? It's so early!" she complained and walked past the sofa not noticing Stacy and John huddled together in sleep.

"Randy? What are you doing here?" she asked when she saw Randy's face.

"Oh, just want to say hi to Stacy and Trish." He answered and Irene stepped aside to let him in.

"I guess they're still both sleeping." Irene said and massaged her temple.

"No, I'm up." Trish said in her usual cheery voice as she walked towards them.

"Where---" Randy didn't get to finish his question when he saw Stacy and John together in the sofa bed.

"Stacy? John?" he asked in a loud voice. Irene and Trish's eyes darted to the sofa bed too and saw the reason why Randy was so shocked. The pair slowly opened their eyes when they heard voices. Then they saw Irene, Trish and Randy gawking at them. They smiled secretly at each other.

"I think the plan just started." John whispered to her ear and Stacy smiled openly.

"Stacy Marie! Get up!" Frank's voice suddenly came and they both got up. Stacy yawned lazily not minding her father's voice.

"Hey Randy… What are you doing here so early?" Stacy asked as John pulled her up.

"Stacy we need to talk. You too John. Kitchen. Now." Frank's voice came again. Stacy rolled her eyes and motioned for John to follow her leaving the other three behind.

"I told you it would work out." John said and Stacy pinched his side.

"Thanks!" she said.

"What--- what just happened?" Randy asked, purely in shock.

_a/n: heyhey guys! how y'all doin! i hope you enjoyed this chap... so please hit that button just right there and leave me a review and tell me what you think of this chap... till next chap. and oh yeah, to all those fantastic readers and reviewers of this fic, thanks so much! keep on readin and reviewin! luv y'all!_


	6. Chapter 6

_eiow guys! it took me a while to update this fic. so sorry for that. but now here it is._

**Chapter 6:**

"What--- what just happened?" Randy asked, purely in shock.

"Beats me." Trish answered simply and shrugged. Randy turned to Irene for an answer but as Irene opened her mouth to answer that she didn't even know John was stayed for the night, the phone rang. She excused herself from Randy and completely ignored Trish.

"Irene speaking." She answered lazily.

"Oh Irene, I'm glad it's you." Irene recognized the voice belonged to John's mom. "Have you seen John? I'm really worried. He's not here at home. I'm just wondering whether he stopped by your place the night before or maybe early this morning." John's mom said in one breath. Irene almost laughed at this but she forced herself not to. She's also a mother and would know the feeling.

"Don't worry Jess, John's actually here with us. In fact he's in the kitchen having a talk with Frank and Stacy." Irene said still trying to suppress a giggle.

"Oh thank God! I was really worried." Jess answered with such relief. "Wait a second, did you say he's having a talk with Frank and Stacy?" she asked, trying to clarify if she did hear it right.

"Yeah, he is." Irene answered simply.

"Did he somehow stumbled into trouble with Stacy? Knowing the two of them…" Jess said in a very curious whisper. What did John do now?

"Easy, easy Jess. They didn't get into trouble. Well if you ask my opinion about it. But I guess we really do have different outlooks. Frank and I, I mean." Irene told her as though the last part summarizes how the two of them ended being separated.

"Aw, come on now Irene. " Jess said in a sympathetic tone. She heard Irene sigh over the phone. "What did they do?" Jess asked again.

"Oh well, You might not know but John spent the night here at home." Irene started telling her friend what had happened.

"So?" Jess pried further.

"It's not really that big deal. But Frank seems to think so. Coz he went ballistic when he saw Stacy and John sleeping together in our sofa." Irene laughed while she cast a quick glance at Randy and Trish's direction. The two were now sitting on the now vacated sofa. Irene cocked an eyebrow. Since when did the two became friends?  
"Irene are you still there?" she heard Jess's voice over the phone. She snapped out of her trance and apologized.

"Sorry, I'm still here."

"I was saying, I guess it's really a big deal, coz they're no longer kids. They can't continue being that close to each other now that they're young adults!" Jess's said in a preaching tone.

"You sound like Frank." She answered simply and let out a small laugh.

"Irene I am not kidding." She answered curtly.

"Neither do i. Look Jess, just trust your kid. He's responsible. Stacy's responsible. They'll never do anything stupid. I know what you and Frank are so concern into. I'm a parent too. Just trust me. Trust them." Irene told Jess. Jess seemed reluctant but just agreed halfheartedly. After talking about unnecessary things, Irene hang up and went back to her room. Ignoring Frank's voice calling her from the kitchen.

"We need to talk." Frank said to the two teenagers. Stacy doesn't seem to have heard him since she just stood up and went to the refrigerator and took out some cookies and milk. John looked at Stacy nervously.

"Here John have some milk and cookies. I know you're hungry. I could hear your stomach already." Stacy said to him and offered the food. John just smiled and timidly took a cookie.

"Stacy will you just please listen to me for once." Her dad asked her in a tired voice.

"I tried listening to you but here's what I get." Stacy sounded to sound brave but she ended up sounding like a pathetic child blaming her friend for breaking her toy.

"Don't tell me we're back to square one again Stace." Her dad answered exasperatedly. "I thought after those years, you would understand." He continued.

"How would I understand? Tell me, would you want to understand the fact that your father left you for another woman and another child even if he's married and has a daughter?" Stacy said in a shaking voice. John has stopped eating and was trying hard to vanish from that scenario. He didn't want to listen to such things.

"So now you don't want to listen to me…" Stacy just glared at him.

Randy and Trish were at the garden. It was Randy who invited Trish there.

"Wow! I didn't realize that there are so many flowers in this garden. It's so beautiful here. Beats Boston actually. It was so boring there." She started telling him.

"Well now, you'll never be bored. You have Stacy and the guys and me." Randy said.

"Really? That's really nice of you." Trish said.

"If you like, I could come with you to the mall or to the park or to the beach so you won't get bored." Randy offered and Trish beamed.

"Thanks Randy!" she exclaimed and without warning hugged Randy.

"Uh! You're welcome." Randy managed to choke out.

"I'm glad, you're here. Stacy doesn't seem to like the idea of me being here." Trish said tearfully as she pulled away from him. Randy looked at her closely.

"What do you mean?" Randy couldn't help but feel curious on what Trish just said.

"Oh Randy. I don't know why I'm telling you this. I mean we only met yesterday. But I just couldn't help but trust you." She said dramatically and turned away from him. A smirk was playing on her lips.

"And I know you and Stacy are friends. Best friends even maybe but I'm not trying to make her look bad but she's not treating me well. I mean, I'm trying to be a sister to her but she treats me like trash." She said as tears started to well in her eyes. She looked back at Randy to see his reaction. "She threw my clothes out of our room and yelled at me." She continued.

"What? But Stacy would never do stuff like that… I mean…" Randy was lost for words as he looked at the now crying Trish. Randy looked around before going over to her. He hesitantly pulled her close and hugged her for comfort.

"Calm down…" he said to her as he caressed the back of her head. Trish pulled away from him so suddenly that he was startled.

"I'm so sorry Randy. I shouldn't have cried on you, I made your shirt wet." She said as she wiped the tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand. She gave him a small smile.

"It's… it's okay…" Randy managed to choke out the words.

"I just can't seem to understand why she'd treat me that way. Maybe because I'm just her half-sister. Maybe she's blaming me why dad and her mom separated."

"But, Stacy wouldn't do that. I mean, I've known her since we were kids…" Randy said in almost a whisper.

"I'm not forcing you to believe me Randy. I understand you. Who are you going to believe, a girl you've know your whole life or a girl who just moved in from Boston." _Whom I know you've got the hots for._ She added as a thought.

"It's not that I don't believe you Trish…" he said with confused thoughts. "I have to go now… I'll talk to you later. You just take care okay. Bye." Randy said and started to leave.

"Randy, please don't tell Stacy I told you these things because she'll completely think that I'm messing her name." Trish asked him and he nodded before leaving with clouded thoughts.

Meanwhile back at Stacy's situation…

"Stacy, how many times do I have to say sorry for you to forgive me?" her dad asked her desperately.

"You don't have to because I really don't need your apology. And for your information, I'll be forgiving you in about… hmmm. Let me think… a hundred years." She said harshly. She walked out of the room. John quickly followed her for two reasons. He wants to comfort her and number two, he doesn't want to be around her dad after such situation.

"Stacy, Stacy wait up…" John called after her. "Come on Stacy, stop running away." Stacy heard him and stopped. John stood next to her and touched her shoulder. Stacy slowly turned to him and John saw she was crying.

"Come on now, don't cry Stace." John said to her in his most caring voice and opened his arms. Stacy accepted the gesture and hugged him.

"I couldn't stop myself. I know it was a bad thing to do. To talk to him that way… but I can't bring myself to say sorry to him. And I can't accept his apology either. John what am I going to do?" she asked him.

"You're going to do it someday. You'll be able to… you have too. It only takes time. Okay? Do you hear me?" he cupped her face in his hands and she nodded.

"That's my girl! Now come on. I have an idea to make you feel better." John told her and wiped her tears away and smiled.

"What?" she asked him while straightening herself up.

"Ice cream. My treat." He beamed at her and a small smile started to take form on her lips.

"You just know how to make me smile even when I'm in the lowest time in my life." Stacy said to him.

"Course I can, I'm your bestfriend remember?" John told her. and Stacy messed his hair and John did the same to get back at her.

"I can't believe how many times I've cried these past two days." Stacy thought aloud while eating her ice cream.

"So? What's the big deal with that?" John answered her. Stacy gasped.

"What's the big deal? What's the big deal! Number one, I'm not supposed to be affected by their presence. Number two, I'm actually hurting when I cry. And number three, I don't cry. Crying is for the weak." Stacy told him.

"Stacy girl, crying is not for the weak okay? I cry sometimes too." John told her and she just laughed.

"No kidding?" Stacy asked in shock like it was really rare for a guy like John to cry.

"Not kidding." John confirmed. The two of them were eating at the ice cream parlor just in their neighborhood. They were still laughing when Randy entered the parlor.

"Hey Randy!" John waved at him. Randy saw them and smiled hesitantly.

"Wanna join us?" Stacy asked.

"Um, no thanks, I was just looking for someone." He replied and left.

"What's up with him?" they asked each other.

"What's up with them? Randy asked himself as he walked away. Early in the morning, he saw them sleeping in the couch together, and now he sees them eating ice cream together.

"There's nothing new with that." Randy told himself. "We do that everytime." Lately? A voice in him asked. "No. But, Stacy and I would sleep in the same bed before. We'd eat ice cream together too." Lately? The voice asked again. "No. No!" he yelled.

"Why are they doing those things together anyway?" he asked. "Why are they doing it without me?" he was disappointed and then the words that Trish said to him earlier came back rushing to him.

"I don't know what to think anymore." He said and hung his head low.

_a/n: so how was it? drop me a review aight? see you next chap!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

"Hello." Irene answered the phone on its third ring.

"Hi! Miss I!" Randy answered over the line.

"Oh! Randy, it's you. Wait, I'll just see if Stacy's back." Irene told him just as the front door open. Stacy smiled when she heard what her mom said. It's Randy.

"Um, no. I'm calling for Trish." Randy replied awkwardly.

"Oh, okay. You just wait." Irene said as her eyes darted to Stacy who was now approaching her.

"Is it Randy?" Stacy asked and her mom nodded half-heartedly. Stacy held out her hand for the receiver but Irene shook her head.

"He's looking for Trish." She said softly. Stacy's smile turned to a frown when she heard what her mom just said.

"Yeah? Okay." Stacy just shrugged and left like it was no big deal. She was already on the stairs when she heard her mom calling Trish. Then she remembered Trish was staying in her room. She let out a big sigh as she looked at the second landing and saw Trish emerging from her room.

"Oh hi Stacy!" Trish greeted her. "Where've you been all day? I missed you! I almost bore myself to death. It was really a relief when Randy cam to keep me company." She told her in a sweet voice and gave Stacy a revolting smirk.

"So?" Stacy just asked her in an emotionless voice. Her face blank from any expression. Trish's smirk was wiped out of her face.

"So Randy and I spent the day together." Trish told her.

"Like it's my business. I really love to chat Trish but I'm tired. Now don't you come near my room or me coz I don't want to see your ugly face." Stacy said calmly. "I need to relax and I don't want your face to ruin the rest of my day." She said and walked past her.

"Bitch!" Trish said under her breath but Stacy heard it.

"It's really true then. Takes one bitch to know another bitch." Stacy retaliated in an airy voice. Trish glared at her but Stacy just smiled coolly. Trish just hurried down the stairs and Stacy entered her room.

It was such a relief when Stacy entered her room without seeing Trish's face there. She plopped down her bed and closed her eyes. She fell asleep almost immediately.

Stacy looked around the pizza parlor. Her eyes were looking for someone. She had agreed to see him there when he called. Stacy craned her neck for better view. Then she saw him at the far end of the parlor. He saw her too, he waved his hand and smiled. Stacy returned the smile and started to make her way to him.

"Am I late?" she asked him.

"No, you're just in time." He replied and offered her a seat.

"Thanks. So why'd you ask me here?" Stacy asked Randy. Her heart was beating very fast that very moment.

"We need to talk Stacy." Randy said in a serious voice.

"About what?" she asked in a half-whisper.

"This is really hard for me Stace. I don't know how to start." Randy hung his head low. Stacy placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Problem?" Stacy asked him, trying her best to sound casual.

"It's about Trish." Randy faced her. The simple statement stopped Stacy.

"What about her?" Stacy asked in a heavy and resigned voice like it was the last thing on earth she'd talk about, much more with Randy. Stacy bowed down her head while Randy turned to look at the other side of the parlor. Stacy took the chance to look at him secretly. Stacy asked herself what she had seen in him. She studied his whole face, and she realize, what she sees in him isn't by his looks… she didn't realize that Randy has finally returned his piercing eyes to her. Stacy shook her head and smiled in a goofy way…

"What?" Randy asked her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Nothing. Randy just tell me what you want to tell about that girl. I have to go." Stacy answered in an irritated and annoyed voice. She tapped the table impatiently.

"This is what I am talking about! You seem to treat Trish like trash! You don't seem to give a damn about her and she's your sister!" Randy burst out. Stacy was taken aback. She had never seen Randy get angry at her, her whole life! And now he's angry at her because of that stupid Trish!

"What are you saying?" Stacy demanded, the angry part of her getting the best of Stacy. She yelled at him and Randy's face went red.

"Why do you hate her?" Randy asked her coldly.

"What is it to you?" Stacy snapped back. Every second going by, the angrier she gets.

"I like her alright! And I don' want you to treat her like a piece of crap. I like her Stacy." Randy told her emotionally.

"You… you can't mean that Randy. You just can't!" Stacy yelled again.

"Why not? Stacy… Stacy, I know this will be hard but you just got to have to let me loose! I know you're my best friend and all but you have to let me be." Randy placed his hand on top of hers. Stacy looked at him, her eyes questioning him. Randy got the idea and took the liberty to answer her before she could let the hard question out.

"Trish told me about the time you warned her not to come near me. And she said Stacy, God! She said… you like me." He answered faintly. Stacy's eyes widened in shock.

"Stacy I'm sorry, I love her. you're just… you're just a friend." Randy said but Stacy pulled her hand away.

"You're crazy!" Stacy exclaimed. Then Stacy felt someone behind her. Stacy looked at her back. Randy transferred his gaze to the newcomer. He was surprised to see him there.

"You're nuts Randy." The newcomer said. Randy raised an eyebrow once more.

"And why would you say that? John? What would you know?" he asked him.

"Because she could never be inlove with you, because…" John paused and looked at Stacy. He sat next to her and took her hand with his two hands. "Because she's inlove with me. And I lover her too." John answered and Randy's jaws seemed to drop.

"What?" Randy asked in surprise. After Stacy recovered from shock when she heard John's words, she smiled bitterly at Randy.

"You heard him right Randy." Stacy said and left with John, leaving Randy looking at them with an open mouth.

Stacy woke up with a start. She was perspiring and breathing very hard. It seemed so so real. Those words Randy said, the words John had said. She completely opened her eyes and Trish's smirking face greeted her.

"You! You what are you doing here in my room! Get out! Get out!" Stacy said boiling with anger, those vivid images and surreal words haunting her. Randy's words about Trish.

"This is my room too!" Trish said and smiled even more.

"Who says? Just get out or you'll regret the day you stepped foot in this house." Stacy threatened while sitting down her bed.

"Oooh! What's Stacy going to do? Punch me? Like I'm scared of a skinny brat like you." Trish stepped forward giving Stacy a challenging stare.

"Actually that's what I was really planning to do." Stacy said and smiled. Before Trish could react to what Stacy just said, she fell down to the ground, knocked out from Stacy's punch.

"Ooops! Sorry!" Stacy said and smiled a bit. She got out of her room and smiled to herself for her revenge but when she reached the door, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.

"Where've you been all day man?" Marc asked his cousin John when he entered John's room.

"Oh you know, just chilling." John answered mysteriously.

"I've been trying to call you here and your phone. Your mom said you're out and your phone is off." Marc told him.

"Hold it, hold it. Try to catch some breath man. I was just… I just went out aight?" John told him. Somehow, he has the feeling that Marc should know nothing about his and Stacy's plan.

"Aight. I was just trying to reach you coz I was so bored and even Randy was out for the day. He said he went to see Trish. And when I tried to call Stacy, their phone was always busy. Until now!" Marc let out a sigh.

"Sorry man. Did you say Randy went to see Trish?" John asked as he remembered seeing Randy's face first thing in the morning at Stacy's house that day. Marc nodded as an answer. _So that's why he was there. So he didn't leave right away when Stacy and I went out. _He thought to himself and nodded. Marc looked at him closely.

"Man, you okay? You sick or what?" Marc asked him worriedly.

"No, I'm doin great. Why?" John answered him.

"You don't look aight. You're a bit flushed and you're nodding to yourself while looking into empty space!" Marc exclaimed.

"I'm flushed? Right now? You must be imagining things Marc. Come on! Video games?" he just asked Marc to stop him from bombarding him with questions.

"So who were you with all day?" Marc asked him again. John who was busy concentrating on the game, just answered, forgetting he was supposed to keep it as a secret.

"Stacy." He answered and stopped.

"You were with Stacy?" Marc asked in surprise.

"Huh? Yeah." John just answered in a small voice.

"Man! How could you? Why didn't you call me?" Marc let out a disappointed sigh. John just patted her back.

"Just next time dude… Aight?" John just said.

"Yeah, okay. Like what else could I do." Marc let out a hug sigh and concentrated back on the game. John breathed in relief. He was glad Marc didn't decide to ask him more questions.

so what do you think... it took me a long time to finally be able to update this one. i just hope you like this one... review guys! thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Stacy sat silently on the lush green grass. She sighed deeply and thought about her dream again. She was so scared when she woke up, afraid of Randy's words and Randy liking Trish. She really doesn't want it to happen. Randy means so much to her and she doesn't want him to go to a girl like Trish. She thought of calling John and telling him about her dream but she stopped herself.

"I've bothered John so much these days." She said to herself and took out her phone. She has to find someone else to talk to. Someone who'd understand her. John could understand her completely but he's a guy.

"Hello." Came the voice over the line.

"Hey Tor." Stacy answered glumly.

"Stace, is that you?" Torrie Wilson asked in a surprised voice.

"Yeah it's me. I---" but before Stacy could tell Torrie why she's calling, Torrie immediately interrupted.

"Oh Stace! I'm so glad you called. I was about to call you but you called me up first! Can you believe that?" Torrie said happily. Stacy smiled a bit. Torrie has been the same ever since she had known her.

"Why? What's up?" she asked trying to sound cheerful.

"Oh! Dad said we're moving back to our old house!" she exclaimed happily.

"You mean here? Here in Baltimore?" Stacy asked curiously. She couldn't help but feel a bit better when she heard Torrie's answer.

"Yes! I'm so glad we're coming back! I couldn't wait to see all our old friends! Randy, Marc and John!" she said giddily. Stacy could feel Torrie was already dancing.

"Yeah. I'm so glad you're coming back." Stacy said and silence fell between them. Torrie broke the barrier of silence first.

"Stace, are you okay? Don't you like me to come back?" she asked slowly. She'd been gone for two years. Torrie's family moved out of Baltimore to go to Miami. Torrie's dad was transferred there for his new job. She's the girl friend Stacy ever had and went she went away, Stacy felt sad. She moved away days before her dad left them. It was a very devastating time for Stacy.

"No. Of course I'm psyched with you coming home!" Stacy answered but let out a sigh.

"So if you're glad why don't you sound like it? Is there something bothering you?" Torrie asked, her voice full of concern.

"When are you coming back?" Stacy asked her instead.

"I'll be there in two days time." She answered.

"Okay, I'll tell you what's up by that time." Stacy just told her and she heard Torrie protest.

"Stacy! Come on tell me right now! I know you're sad as hell right now that's why you called me." Torrie demanded but Stacy made her decision.

"Is that what you've learn there in Miami?" Stacy asked glumly when she heard Torrie said hell. Two years ago, Torrie would never even dare say bitch so she was a bit taken aback when she heard her swear.

"Stacy don't change the subject. Spill it out." Torrie demanded but Stacy just laughed.

"I'll tell you when you get here." She said, her smile never reaching her eyes.

"You've never changed Stacy. Once you've made up your mind your sticking to it. Okay, I agree you tell me when I get there." Torrie replied and waited for Stacy's answer.

"Thanks Tor. You've always been a good friend." Stacy said gratefully.

"I'll let you slip now, though I know it must be something major you're thinking about right now. You've always been strong Stace. I was always the one who would run home crying when I have a problem." Torrie said.

"Talk to you when you're here. You must be in the middle of packing your things when I called you." Stacy said simply and Torrie didn't want her to cut off the line but she knows she could do nothing.

"Okay. Just hang on tight there. Okay? Send my regards to Randy, Marc and John." Torrie told her before Stacy bid goodbye.

"I wish everything would be just like what it was before." She whispered to the air and closed her eyes. Then she felt someone was standing right behind her.

"I heard what you wished for." He said.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coolly as she stood up. She brushed off the dirt on her behind and faced him.

"Why, is it prohibited to come here?" he asked her and chuckled. Stacy rolled her eyes and started to leave.

"If you're looking for Trish I don't know where she is and I don't care either." She said but before she could walk further Randy had gotten hold of her arm. Stacy glared at him but Randy wasn't moved.

"Who says I'm here to see Trish? Am I not allowed to see my best friend?" he asked her and Stacy tried to pull her hand free but Randy held it firmly. Stacy wanted so much to shout at his face that he wasn't acting like her best friend anymore but she stopped herself.

"Let me go or I swear you're gonna regret coming here." Stacy said in a dangerous cold voice.

"Hey what's wrong with you?" Randy demanded. He wasn't used to Stacy treating him like that.

"I said let me go." She repeated but Randy just continued to hold her hand.

"I won't unless you tell me what's up. And what's up with you and John anyway?" he asked in an irritated voice. Stacy looked at him blankly.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." She said and punched him. Randy let go of her hand and stepped backward.

"What's that for?" Randy asked her as he rubbed the side of his face where Stacy had hit him.

"I told you to let go and you didn't." she replied in a calm voice.

"What's wrong with you Stacy? I thought we were friends." Randy said and Stacy stopped dead in her tracks.

"I thought we were too." She answered in a lonely voice and walked away.

"Are you mad at me for making friends with Trish?" he asked and Stacy slowly turned to face him again.

"You're really serious asking me that?" she asked him. Stacy kept her mouth shut. She doesn't want to talk to him anymore at that moment. She couldn't risk the possibility she's going to tell him what she really feels.

"Hmmm… should I ask John instead?" Randy taunted her.

"Will you just please leave John out of this?" Stacy answered exasperatedly. "It's not of your business what I am going through right now. It's none of your business at all." She said.

"I'm your best friend. It has got to be my business too somehow." Randy reasoned. He was really puzzled why Stacy was acting so different at that moment.

"You're not my best friend Randy." _But I want you to be more than a friend._

"What is wrong with you?" Randy felt like yanking his hair off his head.

"There she is dad!" Randy and Stacy heard Trish's voice followed by Frank's angry voice.

"What were you thinking?" he asked in an angry voice and slapped Stacy. Randy was taken aback. He couldn't believe what he's seeing. Stacy's dad just laid a finger on her. Randy wanted to come to Stacy's side and help her up but Frank's angry look stopped him.

"You stay out of this Randy!" he demanded. "What's the matter with you Stacy? Why did you do that to Trish?" he asked but Stacy was just looking blankly to the ground. Randy turned to look at Trish who was crying, holding a handkerchief to her bleeding nose. Randy was confused whether he would go to Stacy or Trish's side. He went to Trish's side to comfort her.

"Answer me young lady!" he growled but Stacy just remained silent. "What did I do wrong that you grew up like that?" he asked her and upon hearing this, Stacy's blood shot up to her head that she stood up so quickly and Trish stopped "crying".

"That's it! You didn't do anything! In fact you weren't even here by my side to see me really grow up!" she answered and before Frank could utter another word, Stacy stormed away. But before she left, she gave Randy a glare. It was clear to her who Randy chose.

"Where are you going?" Frank asked.

"To hell like you would even care." She said.

"Come back here!" But Stacy was no longer listening to any of their words. she didn't took her bike she just walked her way to a place she knows where she could find peace and quiet.

Night came and Stacy was still not back home.

"What did you do to my daughter?" Irene shouted at Frank.

"I was teaching her a lesson." Frank answered coolly but deep inside, he was starting to worry.

"Teach her a lesson? You do not have the right to lay a hand on her!" Irene exclaimed.

"Do you know what she did to Trish? She punched her! is that what she's suppose to do to her sister?" Irene looked at Trish and raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know what happened before Stacy had punched her." Irene said. "The next time you do that to my daughter I swear you're gonna get what you deserve."

"She's also my daughter!" Frank yelled.

"Were you even a father to her?" Irene asked him and he didn't know what to answer. Irene went to the phone and called John.

"John, can I talk to Stacy?" she asked when she heard John's voice.

"Stacy's not here Miss I. Why? Is she not home?" John asked worriedly.

"No she's not. She got into a fight with Frank." Irene said slowly. "So she's not really in your place?"

"I'm sorry. Did you call her cellphone?" John suggested but Irene said yes but it was off.

"I'm going to go look for her." John said.

"Thanks John. I'm sorry I bothered you, I just figured that Stacy must be with you. She's always gone to you when she has a problem." Irene said with a hint of sadness on her voice.

"I'll do my best to look for her." John assured Stacy's mom and hung up.

"I'll go call Randy." Frank said and dialed Randy's number

"Randy, it's me Frank. Do you know where Stacy is?" he asked in a tired voice. Randy was surprised.

"No sir. Did she not come back after… after what happened this afternoon?" he asked.

"No she didn't. Do you know where she could have gone? Any place where she could have gone to?" Frank inquired, panic starting to creep into him.

"I'll try to go look for her." Randy answered.

"We've already called John and he said Stacy's not in his place." Frank informed Randy. Randy fell silent. So they called John before calling him…

"I'll go look for her." Randy just said and hang up. Irene looked at Frank and he shook his head. Irene sat down exasperatedly down the couch.

"Stacy…" she said in a desperate voice.

"Stacy?" John called out as he got off his bike when he reached the park. He went to the part where they talked late at night but Stacy wasn't there. She had already gone to Stacy's favorite ice cream parlor but she wasn't there. In the park John was greeted only by silence. He kept calling her name but nobody replied. John started to ride his bike again and he met Randy on the road.

"Are you looking for Stacy too?" Randy asked him and John nodded stiffly.

"I thought she'd be in your place." Randy said.

"She's not." He answered curtly.

"What's up with you two? You seem so mad at me. What's with the cold shoulder?" Randy asked him.

"Ask your self Randy." John said and pedaled away. Randy caught up with him.

"Can we just go look for her together?" Randy inquired and John just shrugged his shoulder. The two boys rode in silence. Randy just followed him and when John pulled down to a halt in front of a vacant house, Randy followed suit. He looked at the house. He'd been there a thousand times before. He was wondering why John had chosen to stop there. When he stepped on the lawn, memories came back to him. He could almost hear the laughter from years ago when Stacy, John, Torrie, Marc and him would play in that wide lawn. This was Torrie's old house. John was walking ahead of him calling Stacy's name. He followed him to the backyard and called Stacy's name too.

"Stacy? Stacy are you here?" John called out.

"Stace come on. We're here." Randy searched for her too.

"John?" Stacy whispered when she heard John's voice calling her. Her voice was hoarse from crying. What's worse is that she didn't even want to speak. She was up in the tree house Torrie's dad had built for them.

"Stacy, it's me John." John called out again.

"Stacy, don't be mad at me anymore." Randy called out. Stacy was starting feel scared being alone up in the tree house.

"John?" Stacy tried to call out.

"Stace?" John called out again when he heard Stacy's voice. Stacy climbed down from the tree house and John saw her. he ran to the tree and Stacy quickly ran to him.

"John you came!" Stacy sobbed to his shoulder.

"Of course I would come looking for you. Wherever you run away, I'd find you." John said to her ear and hugged her tightly. He was so relieved when he heard Stacy's voice.

"Stace are you okay?" Randy asked from behind them. Stacy wiped her tears away and just nodded at him.

"Come on. We'll get you home." John said and helped Stacy to his bike. Randy wanted to protest and let Stacy ride with him but he stopped himself when he remembered Stacy was mad at him.

Randy just rode behind them until they reached Stacy's house.

"You shouldn't have done that Stace. Your mom was worried sick where you might have been." John said to Stacy but Stacy was already sleeping in front of him. He slowly scooped her and carried her and knocked on the door. Irene answered the door and a smile broke into her face when she saw Stacy sleeping on John's arms.

"Oh John, you got her back!' she exclaimed in happiness. Frank thanked him and smiled. There was only one face not smiling to see Stacy back. But when Trish saw that Randy was behind John, she quickly smiled and acted like she was so happy to see Stacy back.  
"I'm glad Stacy's back!" she said and Irene just glared at her.

"Can you please bring Stacy to her room John?" Irene asked him and John obliged. "Let's go and have some hot cocoa." Irene said to everybody. John was already on the stairs when Irene called him. "I'll just bring up some for you, is that okay John?"

"Yes ma'am. It's okay." He replied and the rest of them headed to the kitchen.

In Stacy's room, John carefully laid Stacy down the bed so as not to wake her up. John looked at her closely and tucked the strands of hair that were covering Stacy's face. Stacy's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"John?" she called out to him.

"Yeah…" John answered and touched Stacy's cheek.

"Thanks for everything." Se said and opened her eyes fully to see John.

"It's nothing." John replied.

"It's not thing. You've always been by my side when I need someone." She said and snuggled up close to him. John couldn't help but drew a sharp breath. He was sitting on the chair beside Stacy's bed. Stacy started to sit down on her bed. John looked at her, he was trying to look calm but he was having doubts what he was really feeling that moment. He swallowed the lump on his throat and tried to regain control of himself. He really wanted to reach for her and protect her from whatever that would come to harm her. he made a silent promise that he'd be by Stacy's side, to protect her, to care for her, and to love her? John shook his head harshly trying to shake the thought away.

"Are you okay?" Stacy asked in genuine concern.

"Course I am. I'd do anything to make you feel better. You know that. You're my best friend." John told her.

"Thanks so much." Stacy said again and hugged John. John hugged her back. Stacy felt so safe in his arms. Stacy fell asleep again with John by her side dozing off. They didn't notice the door open with Randy looking at them.

"John please stay." Stacy whispered and Randy heard her words.

Randy started to breathe heavily. He didn't know what he was feeling, he punched the wall next to him and left before John could see who made the noise.

Irene saw randy but before she could ask him about John, he bid goodbye and went home. Irene just shrugged her shoulders. She entered Stacy's room and found out the two were already sleeping. Frank was at her heels and saw the same thing.

"Just leave them alone." Irene said and smiled at the two sleeping youth. Frank couldn't do anything but follow what Irene had said.

"Hey Randy…" Trish started to say when she saw Randy but randy cut her off.

"I'm going home Trish." He snapped at her and slammed the door. Trish raised an eyebrow and started to go upstairs.

"Trish you're going to sleep in the guest room." Frank said as she was about to enter Stacy's room.

"But why? I want to sleep there." She started to protest.

"Just follow what I say. Stacy needs rest and she's already sleeping." Frank answered.

"Where's John?" Trish asked curiously.

"He's inside, watching over your sister." He answered simply. Trish almost took off her mask when she grimaced when she heard the word sister. But she quickly stopped herself before Frank could see her expression.

"And you're okay with that?" she asked incredulously.

"Just go to sleep Trish." Frank said and kissed her on the forehead. Irene smiled secretly.

"You might have won this time Stace, but it'll be my victory next time." She said to herself and walked towards the guestroom.

a/n: okay so i made this chap longer. i hope you liked it.. please, please review so that i'll know if you want to read more and i'll make the chaps much more interesting.. hehe.. inspiration for short.. leave a review okay..


	9. Chapter 9

hello again guys! i sure hope you could forgive me for such a delayed update. so to make up for that. i've made this chap longer than usual... hope you all like it. review after okay? hehehe.

**Chapter 9**

Randy breathed hard. He was trying to figure out why he had acted so weird when he saw Stacy snuggled close to John. It wasn't the first time he saw them together and still he still couldn't know why he seems so uncomfortable with it. When they were still kids, the five of them would always sleep together.

"Why am I making such a big deal out of this? I'm just worried for Stacy. She's like my sister and I just want her to be okay. I've always been there to look out for her. I'm just worried that John, whatever his intentions are, might hurt her feelings." He said to himself. "Yeah, that's right. That's why I'm disturbed seeing the two of them together." He added and convinced himself that was really the reason because if it wasn't that, he doesn't know what it could be and he might as well go crazy thinking for that reason. Contented with that, he took out his phone and called Trish. It only took two rings when Trish answered the call.

"Trish here." She said and Randy sighed before speaking.

"It's me, Randy."

"Randy? Why are you calling so late?" she asked in a would-be surprised voice and sat up on the bed.

"Nothing, I just want to call you. I'm really sorry about earlier. You know, when I snapped at you." Randy started and Trish smiled silently. So Randy feels bad when he snapped at her.

"It's okay Randy. I know you didn't mean and you were tired looking for Stacy." Trish said trying to sound like an understanding friend.

"Well, I'm gonna make it up to you." Randy just said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Hmm… I'm curious… How are you going to do that?" Trish asked and giggled.

"I'm thinking of it as a surprise. So I'm not gonna tell you now." Randy replied in his cool voice.

"Oh really? Well then you better do a good job and really surprise me because I'll be waiting." Trish answered. _Oh Stacy, you're eyes are gonna pop out when you'll see us together. _Trish thought evilly.

"Yeah, I'm really gonna surprise you." Randy said again and heard Trish giggle on the other line.

"I can't wait Randy." She answered truthfully.

"I'm glad to hear that you can't wait for my surprise." He answered in a tired voice.

"Randy, is there something wrong? Trish asked him when she noticed the tiredness of his voice.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Randy sighed and took a deep breath.

"Come on spill it out. I know there's something bothering you. You can talk to me about it if you like." She said in a concerned voice. Trish heard his sigh of defeat and Randy started.

"I'm just thinking. Are you in Stacy's room?" Randy asked cautiously.

"No. I'm in the guestroom. Dad said Stacy needs to get some rest. I perfectly understand. She needs it, after such a stressful day."

"Yeah I know. Who's watching over her?" Randy asked again trying his best not to sound so concerned.

"John. Why all the questions?" Trish asked with amusement in her voice like she was not getting irritated with Randy's questions.

"So you mean he's still there?" disappointment was clear on Randy's voice.

"Yeah, of course he is. He's watching over her? Right?" Trish said.

"I thought your dad said Stacy needs to be alone? Then why is John there?" Randy asked frantically. He started pacing in his room in nervousness.

"Well, she needs to be alone, yes. But someone has to watch over her. So John has to watch over her and make sure she's alright." Trish explained. She was getting the idea that Randy is getting jealous of John and she doesn't like that idea.

"But why John? And your dad's okay with that?"

"I guess so because he was the one who told me to sleep in the guest room." Trish answered.

"I can't believe this!" he exclaimed.

"Randy why are you making such a big deal out of this? I thought John is Stacy's bestfriend? How come you're overreacting? Trish asked her with confusion in her voice.

"I am her bestfriend Trish." He muttered softly.

"Randy…" Trish called out his name.

"I'm sorry Trish. I shouldn't be dragging you into this kind of conversation. Just forget we talked about this, okay? Go to sleep." Randy said to her.

"Okay. And Randy, you rest to. You sound so tired. Don't think of anything when you sleep tonight." _Except me. _

"Yeah, don't worry. Now go to sleep and sweet dreams." Randy said and hung up. "When I wake up tomorrow, everything will be back to normal. I'll come see Stacy first thing in the morning and see if she's alright." He said to himself and started to sleep.

Stacy woke up the next morning and found John still sleeping. Stacy smiled and studied his face closely.

"You're actually cute from this angle John." She whispered before waking him up. "John, wake up." Stacy started tickling his left ear and just as Stacy expected, John quickly raised his head from his arms.

"Hmmm… what?" John asked and swatted Stacy's hand away.

"John, wake up." Stacy said once again and shook his shoulder.

"Stacy, you're awake?" he said and wiped the side of his mouth. Stacy laughed out loud.

"Drooling again Mr. Cena?" Stacy teased and John looked at her.

"Did not!" John exclaimed.

"Did too!" Stacy insisted and laughed more.

"Who says I did?" John asked and pulled the pillow from behind Stacy and threw it to her face.

"Aw come on John. You can tell that you still drool and I won't laugh." Stacy said and threw the pillow back to John.

"Stacy Marie Keibler, you're already laughing at my expense!" John said and tickled Stacy.

"John stop it! I can't breath!" Stacy cried out but John continued tickling her.

"Not until I want to!" John said and laughed. He was already kneeling beside Stacy and Stacy pushed him.

"Stacy don't!" John yelled but it was too late and he fell down the bed. Stacy tried to grab him and John held onto Stacy but they both fell down the bed. The two of them ended up on the floor with Stacy on top of John. Suddenly everything around them was gone. Stacy looked deeply into John's blue eyes and she felt lost. John was starting to breathe hard as he looked at Stacy's beautiful face.

"Stacy…" he called out in an inaudible whisper.

"John…" Stacy tried to call out his name but she only heard a soft whisper. John's arms were around Stacy and Stacy didn't protest. Being in John's arms and looking into his eyes seems so right at that moment. There was something in John's eyes that made Stacy so curious. Was that longing? Whatever it was, Stacy doesn't care. John slowly raised his head and Stacy started to meet his face.

"Is everything okay?" Randy asked as he came running inside the room. Then the magic was gone. John and Stacy returned to reality and found themselves so close to each other. The two of them turned to see Randy. He just arrived and he heard Stacy's screams when he went up the stairs. And there she saw John and Stacy so close to each other. Were they going to kiss?

"I'm sorry. I guess everything is okay after all. I just thought that maybe Stacy was hurt or something. I'm sorry… I… I have to go…" Randy said in a shaky voice and quickly went away.

"Stacy… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… you know… Come on let's get up." John stammered as he helped Stacy back to her feet. John started to turn away but Stacy grabbed his arm.

"John…" she called out to him.

"I'm really sorry Stace." He said never meeting her gaze.

"What there to be sorry for?" Stacy asked him with a smile on her pretty face.

"I'm sorry. I guess Randy is mad at you or me or to both of us because of what happened." John told her and Stacy placed her hand on his chin.

"That's the point there right? Make him jealous." Stacy said.

"But… But…" John looked for words to say but he failed.

"John I told you it's okay." Stacy assured her and gave him a hug. John hesitated on whether to hug her back or pull away from her. Everything was now so clear to him. He couldn't fight it any longer. He hugged her back with his heart full of emotions. He was sure of what he feels. Stacy's not just a friend. She has never been. She has always been so dear to him. He cared for her not only because she's his bestfriend but because he loves her. From the very start. But he couldn't tell Stacy that. He's there to help her to make Randy jealous. Because Randy's the one that Stacy loves. John just hugged her tightly.

"Randy! You're early!" Trish exclaimed when she saw Randy on the stairs.

"Trish! You're up?" Randy asked her trying to sound like he was so glad to see her.

"Of course I'm up! I'm so psyched! I couldn't wait for your surprise! Oh my gosh! I still haven't readied myself yet. Wait… Umm… why don't you go watch TV or something and I'll be down in just a sec." She told her and went back to the guestroom. Randy just shrugged his shoulders and went down to the living room. He took the remote and started scanning the television. Then something caught his eyes. It was beside the television. Randy could remember it and he slowly made his way to it. He reached out for the black scrapbook and took it. He went back to his seat and opened it.

Look at this photograph  
Everytime I do it makes me laugh  
How did our eyes get so red  
And what the hell is on Joey's headFriends Forever

That was what was written on the cover in silver ink. He opened to the first page and saw a very old picture of the five of them. It was taken when they were still five years old or so. Randy could recognize Torrie, Stacy, John, Marc and himself even though they were drenched with water. Randy recalled that it was taken when they were at Torrie's house and it started to rain. That was the day when they swore that they're going to be friends forever and not let anything come between them.

He went to the next page and saw the picture they took on Torrie's seventh birthday. There were a lot of pictures taken during that time. When they played parlor games and when Torrie blew the candle. Randy found himself laughing softly while remembering all those memories.

Torrie walked swiftly towards her old house. She smiled secretly and stood right in front of the house and looked at it. It was still the same house they left two years ago. Torrie learned that someone lived in the house but only for a short time and her dad was able to buy it back again. She ran to the backyard and saw the tree house where they used to hang-out a lot.

And this is where I grew up  
I think the present owner fixed it up  
I never knew we'd ever went without  
The second floor is hard for sneaking out

"Things will be just like before." Torrie whispered to herself and climbed the tree. She sat there, it was a pretty tall tree house and she could see the street.

Marc was walking alone, muttering to himself. Thinking he has been so alone the past days. Randy's been going out a lot by himself that they don't even know where he goes. He's been looking for John so they could go shoot some hoops or maybe play some xbox but somehow, John's been spending a lot of time with Stacy lately. He's bored to hell. Biking doesn't seem fun when he's the only one riding his bike. He missed those races they make even though he always comes last. To someone who could see him walking, he might think Marc's an idiot for walking while closing his eyes.

"What's wrong with the world!" he exclaimed and stopped quickly when he saw the moving van in front of Torrie's old house.

"Huh? Someone's moving in?" he asked himself and slowly walked towards the van. Torrie saw Marc and laughed when she saw him exclaimed. She studied Marc for a while and noticed he's grown a lot taller but his face is still the same. She went down and sneakily walked towards the front yard and heard Marc's voice.

"Excuse me sir, are you moving into the Wilson's old house?" Marc asked the man who was currently unloading some things from the van.

"Hmm?" the man asked and turned to look at Marc.

"Mr. Wilson!" Marc exclaimed, his eyes as round as pennies.

"Marc, is that you? You've grown so big!" Torrie's old man patted Marc's back.

"You're here? I mean you're moving back here?" Marc stammered and Mr. Wilson just smiled and looked past Marc. Marc slowly turned around and saw Torrie for the first time in two years, smiling at him.

"Hi Marc!" Torrie greeted him and Marc's mouth fell open.

"Torrie?" was all he could say and his heart doubled its beat as Torrie walked towards him. He almost stopped breathing when Torrie ran to him and embraced him.

"I missed you Marc!" Torrie said and Marc embraced her back.

"I missed you too Tor." He managed to choke out.

"Now kids, enough of the greetings. Help me with this." Mr. Wilson said good-naturedly and Torrie and Marc pulled away from each other and helped Mr. Wilson with the packages.

"Where's your mom Tor?" Marc asked her.

"Oh, she's still in Miami. She has some things to take care of. She'll be here by tomorrow. I would have stayed with her and be here tomorrow but I couldn't wait so I just tagged along with dad." Torrie said as she lifted a box marked **Torrie's Memories**.

"What's in there?" Marc asked curiously.

"Huh? Umm… You know photo albums and scrapbooks. You know, memories?" Torrie said and John took the box marked **Torrie's Books. **"Come on, I'll show you." Torrie said and the two of them went inside the house and up to Torrie's old room.

"I miss this!" Torrie exclaimed and plopped down on the bed.

"Yeah, we missed you too." Marc said as he looked at her.

"Aww… don't worry Marc, I missed you all." Torrie said and started unloading her 'memories'. Torrie opened a photo album and they looked at the pictures. "I've been busy in Miami doing these. Remember this one?" Torrie asked as she pointed a picture and Marc nodded.

Every memory of looking out the back door  
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor  
It's hard to say it, time to say it  
Goodbye, goodbye.  
Every memory of walking out the front door  
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for  
It's hard to say it, time to say it  
Goodbye, goodbye.

Randy was still looking on the scrapbook when John and Stacy came down the stairs. They were laughing at each other's jokes. They stopped abruptly when Randy looked at them.

"Hey…" Stacy said to me. John gave him a salute and a smile.

"Hey there too…" Randy said and smiled. Why are we acting like complete strangers here? We're best friends remember?

"What are you doing?" Stacy asked casually. What's happening to us? We used to be very close and inseparable and now we're slowly drifting away. Because of what? I'm jealous of Trish?

"Oh nothing just looking at this scrapbook." He answered simply and shrugged his shoulders as he showed them the black scrapbook.

"Wow! I remember that!" John exclaimed and ran towards Randy, pulling Stacy along with him. "We made that few years back, right?" John asked and sat next to Randy.

"Yeah." Randy answered and laughed. The uneasiness in the air vanished and they were acting the way they were before. "Remember this one? When went to the arcade?"

Remember the old arcade  
Blew every dollar that we ever made  
The cops hated us hangin' out  
They say somebody went and burned it down

"Of course! Who wouldn't remember that? You almost crapped your pants that time!" Stacy pointed out to him and Randy laughed out loud.

"Yeah that was the only reason John kept beating me!" he said and they all laughed.

"Hey! Who says! You're just not as good as me when it comes to games!" John said and laughed.

"Oh really?" Randy asked in a challenging voice.

"Yeah. Wanna see who's really the best in video games, come to my place and let's play." John said.

We used to listen to the radio  
And sing along with every song we know  
We said someday we'd find out how it feels  
To sing to more than just the steering wheel

"Hey! Randy! I'm ready. Let's go?" Trish came and they all turned to look at her. "Oh I'm sorry were you busy discussing something?"

"Maybe some other time John." Randy said and turned to look at Stacy. "I'm taking Trish out."

"Oh, okay. Sure." Stacy just answered.

"He's going to surprise me." Trish said to Stacy but Stacy merely shrugged.

"Cool. Have fun then." Stacy just said.

"You guys wanna tag along?" Randy blurted out. Trish looked at him and John looked at Stacy.

"I don't know. We're going somewhere too." John replied.

"Yeah. Too bad." Stacy seconded.

"Okay. Bye guys…" Randy said and together with Trish walked to the door.

"What do you think Stace? We go visit Marc?" Randy heard John ask Stacy.

"Sure." Stacy answered and they followed Randy and Trish to the door. But as they opened the door,

"Torrie?" the four of them gasped when they saw Torrie standing on the doorway with Marc.

"The one and only! Hey guys!" Torrie said and opened her arms wide and the gang rushed t her and shared a group hug.

"Who's Torrie?" Trish asked and looked at the other blonde.

"Who are you?" Torrie asked Trish.

"Stacy's---" she was about to introduce herself as Stacy's sister but Stacy cut her off.

"Dad's… umm… daughter." Stacy said.

"Oh! She's? Yeah…" Torrie said and smiled. "Nice to meet you. You going somewhere?" Torrie asked her as she eyed Trish's pink wardrobe.

"Randy and I are going out." She said and Torrie barely stopped herself from cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're going out Randy? Too bad. I was planning of taking the gang out and just hang-out. You know to catch up with each other." Torrie pouted at Randy.

"He can come with us next time." Stacy said. "For now, he has to go out with Trish and show her around town."

"Yeah. Maybe next time." Randy said and walked away with Trish.

"Bye Randy!" they all said and went inside Stacy's house.

"So what plans do you have exactly?" Stacy asked.

"What's wrong with you?" Torrie asked her instead, her eyes filled with disappointment and anger.

"Why what's wrong with me?" Stacy asked confusedly.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Torrie asked with a fiery gaze as she advanced on Stacy. It was an unusual sight because Stacy would never let anybody see that she's backing out from a confrontation but this time, she felt different. She was half afraid of the expression Torrie was wearing. But she took a lung full of air and stood her ground.

"Torrie, what the hell is wrong with you?" Stacy managed to fight back the words. She stopped backing out and stared at Torrie straight in the eyes.

"I've known you to be a fighter Stace. Much more of a fighter than I am! But what I see now is not the Stacy I used to know!" she literally screamed at her friend. John and Marc just stared at each other. They've always known that when the girls are in the middle of 'talking' about something, they could never be interrupted.

"What are you talking about? Can you please clear it up because I just don't understand you!" Stacy pretended to be unaware of what Torrie was saying and sat down on the couch and leaned on the armrest.

"How could you just let Randy go off with Trish?" Torrie asked her and Marc's eyes bulged out in surprise.

"You know about that?" Marc asked suddenly and just received glares from his three friends. "Sorry, won't happen again." He said meekly and hid behind John.

"Why? Why should I stop Randy from going out with her?" Stacy asked in a challenging voice.

"You like him! God knows how much you like him!" Torrie screamed at her. "Why can't you stop being so heartless and cold? Just stop minding your pride and your ego for once and just admit your feelings for that damn jerk!" Torrie said exasperatedly.

"What is it to you anyway if Randy and I have feelings for each other? I'm just his sister. I've accepted that fact so long ago." She lied straight into her friend's face but didn't face John. John felt weird being in the middle of that conversation.

"Oh really? Stacy? How could you prove that, eh?" Torrie asked her in a proud voice. John wanted to reach the door and just step out but before he could do so, Stacy was by his side and was holding his hand.

"I will not have any of these nonsense anymore. For your information Torrie, my boyfriend's in this room so I wouldn't want him hearing any of this crap." Stacy said and it stopped Torrie.

"What?" Torrie managed to choke out after a few seconds of absorbing what she had just heard. "I beg your pardon?" Torrie asked again if she heard it right the first time.

"I'm with John now." Stacy stated simply like it was just yesterday's news. If Torrie's jaws were capable of falling down the floor, it would have happened.

"Tell me you're kidding." Torrie said in a small voice. "Tell me you're just fooling me." It was almost a desperate plea just for Stacy to admit she's just kidding.

"Since when do I make good jokes Torrie? I've always been bad with making others laugh." Stacy just said and tugged John's shirt for help.

"We… we're not kidding Tor. Stacy's my girlfriend now." John said, trying his best not to spill an emotion that would reveal the truth to Torrie. Torrie backed away and it was her turn to sit n the couch. She looked tired to their surprise and it was Marc who first approached Torrie and ask her if she was all right.

"You okay?" Marc asked, his voice full of concern. He was just as surprised as Torrie was.

"Since when?" Torrie asked coldly.

"Yeah, since when?" Marc chimed in.

"Since the day I realized how much I care for John and how much he means to me." Stacy answered a small voice. If John hadn't known the truth that they were just pretending, he would have believed all that Stacy had said and would have been so happy to know that the girl he loves and cares for feels the exact same way for him.

"Well then. Congratulations!" Torrie seems to have gotten back to her old cheerful self. She stood up and approached John and Stacy. Marc knew her words and what she feels deep inside didn't match and he was worried for her.

"Hey it's not like they're already getting married!" Marc tried to make a joke and they all forced a small laughter.

"Who's getting married?" Stacy's dad asked curiously as he came down the stairs.

"John and Stacy!" Marc yelled and they all threw him dirty glances.

"Didn't you just said that we're not getting married?" Stacy told him and just looked at her dad as blankly as she could.

"Mr. Keibler!" Torrie exclaimed. "Wow! You're back!" she said in amazement.

"For good." Stacy's dad said and Stacy's face turned more sour.

"That's great! Umm… we're back too and as a sort of celebration, I'm taking the gang out. That okay?" Torrie asked and Stacy's dad just nodded.

"You all go and have some fun! Stacy don't stay out light." he said and went to the kitchen.

"I hate it when he does that!" Stacy said and they all know her voice was loud enough for her dad to hear.

"What are you saying?" Torrie asked her.

"I hate it when he tries to act like he's a dad!" she said in gritted teeth.

"Calm down babe." John told her and she looked at him. John just winked at her. It was the first time John had called her that and she has to admit that she kinda like the feeling. She smiled at him.

"You're just so cute John!" Stacy said and pinched his left cheek.

"You're really telling the truth?" John asked hopefully.

"Of course I do. How could I ever lie to you? And besides, you know me too well, you'll just see right through me if I'm lying." Stacy said.

"Aww, how sweet!" Marc said teasingly and Stacy just playfully slapped his face. "Hey, why do I always get to be so tortured here?" he asked with a mock pained voice.

"There's so many things I missed." Torrie said and looked at John secretly.

"Come here." Stacy said and they all huddled together. "I missed this. I miss you all guys!" Stacy said and they shared a hug.

"Too bad Randy isn't here and he's stuck hanging out with Trish." Marc said and they all agreed.

"So, where are you taking us?" Stacy asked curiously.

"It's up for you to follow me and know." Torrie said playfully and pulled Marc's hand to Marc's surprise. Stacy held on to John's hand tightly and they followed Marc and Torrie outside.

"Race you to the park!" Torrie said and they all rode their bikes. Except for John.

"This time, you're not driving. I am." He said and she just smiled. "Hey guys! Wait up!" John yelled after Torrie and Marc's backs.

"Hey! Isn't that Marc's line?" Stacy asked him and they laughed together.

"Wow, Randy! I didn't expect this! This is so cool." Trish exclaimed as Randy removed the blind fold and she saw a picnic set for two. Randy reached for the bouquet of flowers lying on the grass and gave it to Trish.

"I'm glad you like my surprise!" Randy said and helped Trish sit down. They started talking to each other and Randy told Trish his jokes and she laughed but Randy could sense that she was just faking it. He missed Stacy's laugh when he would tell them his jokes. He could remember that John and Marc would say that his jokes were stupid but Stacy would still find them funny.

"Now why am I thinking of her?" he thought to himself.

"What's wrong?" Trish asked when she noticed Randy fell quiet.

"Tell me more about yourself Trish." He said slowly and Trish stopped smiling.

"Woo! Faster John! Come on! Go faster!" Randy heard Stacy's familiar voice before Trish could speak and he turned to see Stacy holding on tight at John's back as the latter furiously pedaled. "You can't catch us!" Stacy said again and Randy saw she was now yelling at Marc and Torrie who were now slowly gaining on the pair! He laughed a bit.

"You just wait! The two of you!" Torrie answered back and drove harder. Randy guessed Marc was the last rider. As usual.

"Beat ya!" John and Stacy said as they got off the bike just a few meters from Randy and Trish's place. They still haven't noticed the pair and they were laughing so loud like they were having the time of their lives.

"We won! We won!" they chanted and Stacy hugged John with glee, sticking their tongues out at Marc and Torrie.

"Yeah, yeah… no need to rub it in." Marc said.

"Aww, don't be such a sore loser Marc." Torrie said and patted Marc's back.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the last one to finish the race." He said and made a face.

"Don't worry wittle Marc. I'd buy you ice cream later so that you'll feel better." Torrie said and Marc couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll bear that in mind!" Marc said and tickled Torrie. John looked at Stacy and he winked at her.

"Marc just gave me an idea!" he said and started tickling Stacy too.

"No John don't!" Stacy said in between fits of laughter.

"What did you say? Tell me the magic words!" John teased her and Stacy just continued laughing until they fell to the grass. Randy wanted to run to her and help her up and check if she was okay or if she was hurt from the fall. But he saw Stacy was still laughing and it stopped him. Trish was also looking at the gang and she couldn't help but feel jealous. Jealous of Stacy's complete life?

"Soon Stace, what you have will be all mine." She secretly promised to herself.

"Come on you two. Get up." Torrie said to John and Stacy. Stacy turned to look at Torrie and smiled and she muttered, "Yeah, okay." And turned to John just as John was raising his head…

The time stopped… to Stacy and John… To Randy who was watching closely. Everything around them vanished. They didn't know how it happened. It just did, their lips meeting and… Randy felt something cold and sharp in his heart as he watched what was happening. Stacy's eyes were wide open and the sweet sensation of the kiss was intoxicating her… John couldn't help but close his eyes and just feel the rush of the moment.

"Oi! That's enough!" Torrie said to them, she just noticed Randy looking at the pair and she felt sorry for him. For her, Randy looked so jealous and was about to blow his head off! Stacy and John realized their intimacy and quickly pulled away. John helped Stacy up but Stacy couldn't help but feel shy to look John in the eyes.

"Ice cream anyone?" Torrie asked and they all followed her. Stacy was left behind, she was still caught up with the moment.

"My first kiss…" she said and touched her lips and smiled. Randy just hung his head low after seeing her smile.

"Stace, you coming or what?" John asked and offered a hand as he returned beside her. Stacy nodded and took his hand.

"You okay?" Trish nudged him and he realized he was still with Trish.

"Yeah."

"You look troubled." She commented and Randy shrugged.

"I'm just thinking… I realized that I just lost something really important to me." Randy said and tried his best to smile when Trish reached for his hand.

**_a/n: how was it? tell me what you think.. leave a review... thanks..._**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

It has been a week after the incident in the park. The five of them were hanging out in the food court at the mall after strolling around. Randy had somehow become so quiet whenever Stacy is around. Stacy still doesn't know that Randy was at the park at that time and had witnessed what had happened.

"Hey Randy, where's Trish?" Marc asked, he was really curious when he saw that Trish was nowhere near Randy. It has been almost a daily sight that if Randy's around, so is Trish. They were always together the past week. But this time Randy is in solo flight. Randy looked at Stacy but quickly turned away when he saw John has his arm around her shoulders.

"She said she's sick. I don't really know, that's all she said." Randy answered and shrugged his shoulders. Stacy just snorted. Trish didn't tell Randy that she has chicken pox and was ashamed of showing her face to others. They all looked at her immediately, except for Randy.

"What is it Stace?" John asked Stacy turned to meet his gaze and blushed slightly when she saw John was too close and she could smell his scent. She wanted to lean so close to him and just stay like it forever but Torrie cut the moment with her loud voice.

"Hey lovebirds! Cut that out! We're in the middle of the mall for pete's sake." He said and laughed good-naturedly. The others followed and Randy tried to laugh too. Stacy just looked at John and smiled.

"You should have been at the park Randy and see how these two could get so disgustingly sweet!" Marc said laughingly.

"Oh yeah really? What happened?" Randy asked with a bit of enthusiasm in his voice though he was feeling nauseated inside with jealousy. Torrie was looking at him closely.

"Stacy and John sitting on a tree… K I S S I N G!" Marc laughed. "But uh, they weren't on a tree!" Marc continued.

"Marc please stop. Must you broadcast what happened?" Stacy asked with a slight shade of pink on her cheeks.

"I was just updating Randy… It was just his bad luck that he wasn't there." Marc said.

_But I was there Marc. _He wanted to say but he pretended to be curious. _I was there and I wanted to scream in jealousy._

_Now wait! Where did that came from? Me, Jealous? No way!" _he said to himself and shook his head.

"What's up man?" John asked him when he noticed Randy's action.

"Umm, nothing, I just needed to get something out of my head. That's all." He replied. "So what else did happen?" and smirked his infamous smirk. Stacy looked at John with disappointment.

_He doesn't seem affected at all. _She thought.

"Well, I don't want to go to those details again, they make me want to puke!" Marc answered and mimed puking.

"Aw cut it out Marc! We'll just see when you get to kiss a girl if you'd want to puke!" Torrie said to him and laughed.

"Yeah!" John answered and Stacy looked at him sternly. "What?" Stacy just rolled her eyes and John just whispered in her ear. "Aw come on, lighten up."

"I'll never kiss a girl!" Marc said stubbornly.

"We'll see about that!" Torrie said mischievously and started to close in on him. "One, two…"

"Torrie? What are you doing?" Marc asked nervously, sweat started to form on his forehead.

"Five, six…" Torrie continued and smiled at Marc. The others were looking with suppressed laughter.

"Torrie cut it out…" he choked out as his heart continues to beat so hard. Looked at her and from that closeness, Marc sighed at her beauty.

"Nine, ten…" Torrie closed her eyes and Marc wanted to faint at that very moment but… "Got you!" Torrie screamed and Marc opened his eyes.

"What?" he asked weakly.

"You thought I was going to kiss you! You should have seen the look on your face Marc!" Torrie said.

"You got me! You got me! Torrie! How could you?" Marc yelled but didn't laugh at all.

"You were so funny man!" John said and high-fived Randy who was also laughing very hard.

"It wasn't funny!" Marc exclaimed and walked away. All of them fell silent and looked at Torrie who also stopped laughing that instant.

"You're dead meat Torrie. Marc never pulled a walk out act before." Stacy said. Torrie bit her lip and looked at them.

"Follow him!" they all said in unison and Torrie scrambled to her feet. Torrie looked around for Marc and saw him towards the mall's main door.

"Marc! Marc wait up!" she yelled and Marc turned to see her following him but he ignored her.

"Marc, come on. It was just a silly joke." Torrie said and Marc stopped dead in his tracks.

"Silly joke? Just a silly joke? You've changed Torrie!" Marc said and turned to look at her.

"Couldn't you just take a joke. I mean come on." Torrie tried to smile but the seriousness of his face took her smile away

"You shouldn't joke with things like that Torrie."

"What the hell is wrong with you Marc!" she yelled at him.

"What is wrong with you?" he returned the question. "This isn't you Torrie, this isn't you at all. You've changed…"

"What are you saying? This is still me."

"No. You're no longer the Torrie that I learned to love." Marc couldn't help but let it out. Torrie eyed him with such surprise. Even Marc surprised himself. Where did he pick the courage to tell her that?

"What?" Torrie finally found her voice to ask him what he just said.

"Nothing. It was nothing. Just go away." Marc said and refused to look at Torrie again.

"No, it wasn't nothing Marc. Tell me please." Torrie asked desperately. She really wants to know if what she heard was right. She needs to.

"For what? For you to make fun of me again?" Marc retaliated.

"No, because…" Torrie swallowed the lump on her throat and picked up all the courage in the world before going on. "Because I want to know if you have feelings for me just as I have for you." She touched his cheek softly and he turned to her.

"Torrie… I…."

"What's taking the two of them so long?" Stacy wondered.

"I don't know." John shrugged. "But what I do know is I have to the bathroom. Be back in a minute babe." John said and gave Stacy a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay, just hurry up. When they get back we'll be going." Stacy said and Randy gave John a nod. Silence came between the two of them the moment John left.

Stacy tried to look interested with the people around them. It was randy who couldn't take the silence anymore and decided to break it.

"So, how are things with you and John?" he asked out of the blue, Stacy looked at him and mustered all the courage to answer him.

"Everything's cool. I… Never in my wildest dreams did I thought that we'd end up together." She answered truthfully. Randy nodded.

"What about you and Trish? She's always ranting on at home about you." Stacy said.

"We're okay. She's perfect. But she could get a bit clingy sometimes." _She's perfect, but not perfect **for **me._

"Yeah…" Stacy answered, not knowing what else to say. They were in silence once again…

"Do you love him?" Randy suddenly asked.

"Huh? I---" but before Stacy could answer John returned.

"So what were you talking about?" John asked and put an arm behind Stacy.

"Oh nothing. Just about Randy and Trish." Stacy answered casually.

"About Stacy and you." Randy pitched in.

"Oh!"

"Yeah." Randy confirmed.

"It seems the two are not coming back… Why don't we just head home?" John suggested and they all agreed.

"Let's go." Randy said and John helped Stacy up. "You're really lucky to have her." he told John.

"Yeah I know." John replied. Stacy couldn't help but just blush on how the conversation is going.

"Take care of her, okay?" Randy said with a hint of sadness in his voice and patted John's back.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Weeks and weeks had passed. Weeks and weeks had past and Randy was starting to miss how things would go with his friends. Sure, they'd hangout altogether just like now. He even brought Trish along with them. They'd gone to a triple date. John and Stacy, Randy and Trish, Marc and Torrie. They'd hangout but not the way they used to before. It seemed like there's this barrier that between them. Randy missed it. He missed it all. He was happy with Trish but there's something missing though he couldn't pinpoint what it was, he's pretty sure that there is.

"I never thought I'd have fun here." Trish suddenly said and downed another glass of beer. Randy just looked at her, he never imagined Trish drinks.

"Why'd you never thought? Did you expect something disastrous to happen?" Randy asked curiously.

"Oh, it's just that I anticipated this day to come and thought that it'd be a mess considering Stacy's friends are here too." She said. "But, everything's well so here's to the wonderful day we had." She said and raised the glass high in the air.

"Hey, stop that." He couldn't help but tell her off and took the glass away.

"No, Randy… I'm just happy. I'm celebrating." Trish said and took the glass again.

"Slow down, alright?" he said.

Randy put an arm around Trish and kissed her temple.

"What was that for?" she asked him with a small smile on her lips.

"Nothing." He answered and cast a distant look at John and Stacy who were at the other side of the beach.

_I finally got you Randy and she can't do anything to take you back. _Trish silently said and smiled and gave Randy a quick kiss. Randy awakened from his stupor and turned to looked at Trish.

"I'm just happy that I have you here with me." Trish said and snuggled close to him.

"Stace?" John asked and looked up at Stacy's face.

"Yeah?" Stacy replied and looked down at John who was resting his head on her lap.

"Are you happy?" he asked her and Stacy couldn't help but smile.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Stacy answered him and started to stroke his brown hair.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering." He said and gave a sigh. He couldn't bring it to himself to ask her. as days passed by, he's been silently praying that somehow Stacy would somehow see him as more than a friend.

"John, what's bothering you?" Stacy asked him. She's known him for so long that she'd know when he's got something in his mind that's bothering him. "Tell me." She whispered. John closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm just worried Stace." He said and Stacy stopped stroking his hair.

"What do you mean?" she asked, what is John talking about.

"Nothing. Just forget that I said something." John said. He couldn't he doesn't have the courage to tell her so.

"Are you sure? You seem really troubled." Stacy asked and touched his cheek. John put a hand over hers and closed his eyes.

"I take it back. I don't feel worried. I feel happy being here with you." He said and Stacy smiled.

"I am too John. I am." She replied.

"Oh just look them." Torrie whined at Marc.

"Why? What's wrong with them?" Marc asked callously.

"There's nothing wrong with them you idiot. In fact they're so right." Torrie said and looked at John and Stacy dreamily.

"Hey, hey, don't you call me idiot. I'm your boyfriend now remember?" Marc just said.

"What boyfriend?" Torrie asked and suppressed a laugh as she waited for Marc's reaction.

"Torrie, stop kidding."

"I'm not kidding. Since when?" she asked him teasingly.

"Since the day you confessed you undying devotion to me." Marc closed in on her and whispered to her ear.

"Haha, don't be so thick." Torrie laughed but was cut short when Marc taunted her.

"Marc I love you… I really, really do." Marc imitated a shrill girly voice.

"Hah! Is that suppose to be me?" she asked him red in the cheeks. "I think you're trying to imitate Trish! Oh my gosh! She didn't confess to you right?" Torrie asked.

"No way you dimwit. And even if she has the hots for me, I still wouldn't have her. I'd rather have one Torrie in my life." He said and kissed Torrie sweetly on the lips.

"Wait, I just remembered something." Torrie said and chuckled.

"What?"

"I would never kiss a girl! It makes me want to puke." Torrie said and Marc just laughed.

"Cut it out." He said good-naturedly and kissed her again.

"I love you." Torrie said against his lips.

"I love you more." He replied.

"Now who would have though those two would end up together?" John asked Stacy.

"Yeah, who would have thought." Randy agreed as he and Trish walked hand in hand towards them. Trish was smirking from ear to ear as she looked at Stacy. But Stacy surprised herself when she just remained calm seeing Randy and Trish together.

"Marc did always have these feelings for Torrie even before. He may not say them but he does." John said and smiled.

"Yeah, same goes for Torrie." Stacy said.

"I thought Torrie has the hots for me?" John teased Stacy.  
"Yeah, you wish!" Stacy laughed.

"And I never thought of you being together." Randy said seriously as he sat next to Stacy.

"Yeah, me either. But I don't know about John, I guess he's always had his hidden desire for me." Stacy chuckled.

"Haha Stace." John replied and pinched her cheeks. _If you only knew Stace._

"Really _sis_? With your reaction, I thought you've always been inlove with Randy." Trish said.

"Why would you say that Trish? You don't even know me that well." Stacy retaliated.

"Honestly Stace, I really thought you and John were just putting an act that you are together to make my Randy jealous." Trish said and let out a laugh.

"Oh you poor thing. You must have been so alone that you're imagining things to amuse yourself." Stacy said and a anger flashed in her eyes.

"Trish, cut it out." Randy told her off. "Don't mind her, she must have had too much drink." Randy turned to Stacy and John and took Trish by the elbow. But Trish pushed Randy away.

"Aw come on Stace, why don't you just admit it that you and John are pretending to be together just to make my Randy jealous." She said and stood up and looked down at her half-sister. Stacy just looked at her and said nothing.

"Oh, so you won't admit it. Maybe I should ask John instead." She said and rounded to John. "Am I right John?" Trish asked her in an annoying voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about." John answered and looked away from her.

"There's no point denying it. I heard the two of you talking about your pretend relationship!" Trish said. Randy didn't know how to react on what Trish just said.

Flashback 

"_John, I don't think this is going somewhere." Stacy voiced out her thoughts. _

"_Huh? What are you saying?" John asked._

"_What I'm saying is that, I don't think Randy really has feelings for me… maybe he does… but as a friend…" Stacy said and hung her head low._

"_Whatever made you say that?" John asked and put a comforting hand around Stacy._

"_Look what's happening… do you even think he's jealous of me and you? He's always with Trish…" Stacy said, the thought of giving Randy up was on her mind._

"_Come on Stace… Don't say that… oh I don't know. maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong."_

"_I don't think there's a need for us to continue with this." Stacy said and it broke John's heart… John looked at her deeply._

_If only Stace… if only I could tell you what I really feel._

"_What do you mean?" John managed to choke out the words._

"_Maybe… maybe… oh I don't want to talk about this now. But there's one thing I'm sure of." Stacy said and turned to face him._

"_What?"_

"_I'm glad that if I'm in a pretend relationship, I'm in it with you." Stacy said and to John's surprise, Stacy gave him a kiss on the cheeks…_

"_So you're not saying goodbye?" John asked nervously._

"_Why would I even say goodbye you rascal!" Stacy said and let out a small giggle._

"_I don't know what Randy doesn't see in you that he's still not falling for you." John thought out loud._

"_Maybe I'm just one of the guys." She replied._

"_One of the boys? You're not a tomboy Stace… I'm sure of that too." John said as casually as he could._

"_Then maybe your blind… Just look at all my interests! Look at me!" Stacy said and put her hands to her side…_

"_Nope." John simply answered… he really wanted to tell her what his vision of her is…_

"_Then tell me what do you see." Stay said. John swallowed the lump in his throat._

"_A gorgeous young woman… that the guy who would own her heart is one lucky bastard… he's lucky for having a girl with such an exquisite personality. She's active intelligent and supportive… I could never say anything negative about her… She's beautiful and smart and…" she's the one that I love… John almost said the words but he quickly stopped himself._

"_And then what?" Stacy asked._

"_Nothing." John smiled a bit and Stacy blushed. She never thought John would be the one to sa those words to her… she always dreamt of her prince charming would be the one…_

"_You got me on cloud nine John." Stacy admitted and hugged him._

"_Thanks for being here with me." Stacy just said._

_Behind the partly ajar door stood Trish… Smirking ear to ear of what she had just heard._

_End of Flashback_

"SO what do you think Randy?" Trish asked Randy and she gave Stacy an evil smile. Stacy wanted to cry right there and then but only the weak cries.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"SO what do you think Randy?" Trish asked Randy and she gave Stacy an evil smile. Stacy wanted to cry right there and then but only the weak cries.

"Is it true Stace?" randy asked in a controlled voice. He closed in on her and clasped her shoulders. He wanted to shake her so bad… just to have the answer from her.

"Let me go." Stacy ordered but Randy didn't budge.

"Answer me Stace… Was that the truth?" he asked again.

"What does it matter to you anyway!" Stacy answered him. John remained motionless.

"It matters much to me Stace."

"Why? So that you and Trish would laugh at me? No thanks randy." She said and pushed him away.

"Stacy just tell me the truth." He desperately pleaded.

"Get lost randy… get lost with Trish." she told him and turned away.

"Stacy! I need you to tell me the truth! It means so much to me…"

"Give me one good reason why." Stacy said in a whisper.

"It… it means to me because… because I want to know that I'm not in a one-sided love. I want to know if you care for me the way I care for you." Randy said.

"Yeah sure Randy, I care for you because you're my **friend**." Stacy said and emphasized the last word even though it hurt her so much.

"Alright… I don't just care for you… because I love you!" Randy said and Stacy stopped dead on her tracks.

"What did you say?" Stacy asked as she grabbed his collars.

"I… I love you?" Randy choked out. All of them were so shock… even Torrie and Marc who just arrived.

"You what?" they both asked, their mouths wide-open.

'"Well there you go Stace… Here's our answer." John said and smiled bitterly… "He loves you." John said.

"John?" Stacy called out his name. _Don't tell them that. _Stacy thought desperately.

"There you go… he loves you… now our show is over." John said and looked at Randy.

"So it's true?" Randy asked Stacy but his gaze was on John.

"It's true." John said feeling his heart ripped into a thousand pieces.

"Wait, wait… Let me clarify this." Trish butted in and turned to Randy. "You love her?" she asked and Randy nodded. It was enough for her to faint.

"Stace, I'm… I'm sorry if it took me too long to realize what you mean to me… I always thought that you're just a friend because I'm not really sure of what I feel and I don't want to ruin our friendship." Randy said and took Stacy's hand, Stacy's tears were almost falling. John smiled at Stacy who turned to look at him. But John started to slowly walk away.

"John?" she called out in a whisper…

"I never realized how much you mean to me until I saw you in John's arms that early morning… I was jealous but I didn't think of it as jealousy. Maybe I was just feeling overprotective of you but I realized, it wasn't that…"

_Come on Stacy, speak up… here's your prince charming expressing his love for you… _Stacy said to herself but as she looked at John smiling at her and walking away, it was like being awakened from a long dream. She looked at Randy again and to Marc and Torrie who were attending on Trish but she was sure they were also listening as well.

"Maybe… Maybe it did took you too long Randy." Stacy managed to say. Trish stirred into consciousness.

"What?" She asked but Torrie covered her mouth immediately.

"What?" Randy repeated Trish's question.

"Maybe it did took you too long… And along the way that I was waiting for you, I found something much deeper. I thought I was inlove with you… I dreamt of you as my prince charming… I waited for you to come and sweep me off my feet and now here you are… but somebody else has already swept me off… I'm so sorry Randy. I really do but… Maybe… I'm sorry Randy but, I guess my heart now belongs to someone else." Stacy said and gently pulled her hand away. It almost took a minute for Randy to absorb what Stacy just said and he finally managed to talk back.

"It's John isn't it?" he asked, trying to sound cheerful and mask the bitterness but he failed. Stacy just nodded.

"Yes… John…" she answered.

"You know what Stace? It's hard to let go of someone who really means so much to you… It's hard to let go of someone you just realized means the world to you. It's hard, to do this you know… Are you sure you're going to let go of this?" Randy asked trying to sound his cocky self as he held Stacy's right hand again. But again, Stacy nodded. "But I'm letting you go, even though I didn't really have you in the first place."

"Th-thanks Randy."

"Now go… go after him." he said and Stacy smiled. "But before you go… could I have at least one hug from the girl that I unknowingly loved for so long?" he asked with his puppy dog eyes.

"Sure you can." Stacy said and hugged Randy. Just in time for John to turn and look at them.

"Guess they finally have their happy ending." He said to himself. "Now what about you John?" he asked himself. He turned away once again and decided to let go but then…

"John!" he heard her sweet voice calling his name. _You're imagining things John. _He thought.

"Wow, so you really love her?" Trish asked Randy and he nodded. "I'm sorry if I tried to make Stacy look bad." Trish apologized.

"I guess it's okay."

"Do you think you could forgive me?" Trish asked.

"I could."

"Thanks. Maybe I'm just jealous of all the things Stacy has." She said in a small voice.

Randy looked at Trish closely.

"But I promise randy… I'm going to change… I'll never do bad stuff again." She promised.

"I'd love that." Randy said and thought of something and looked at Trish again.

_Maybe… Just maybe… _he thought.

"John wait up." he heard her voice again and he looked back and saw Stacy running towards him. But John squared his shoulders and turned away from her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you're with your prince charming." He said and kicked a shell.

"I am… I am with him right now." Stacy said in an amused voice.

"I can't see Randy." John replied.

"Don't be stupid, stupid!" Stacy said and got hold of his arm.

"Very funny Stace… Now let go…" John said.

"What's wrong with you? I thought you were going to help me figure out Randy's feelings for me and now we know. So why are you so irritated to see me?" Stacy tried to suppress a laugh… she thinks she knows why John's acting like this but she wants to hear it from him… 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

"What's wrong with me? Good question… Umm… first of all..." but Stacy cut him off, she couldn't wait any longer. He does love her anyway.

"Let's just skip the first part. I'll do the honor of doing the last part." Stacy said and kissed John. "I love you Jonathan Anthony Felix Cena." She simply said.

"What? But… weren't you and Randy…?" his voice trailed off.

"He's letting go of me even though he never had me in the first place. Now here I am… with the one that I really love." Stacy said.

"You-love-me?" John choked on his words and Stacy nodded.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Stacy asked him.

"But I don't understand. You're inlove with Randy right?" John stuttered.

"I thought so too until I realized _**this.**_" Stacy replied.

"I don't understand. Why?" John felt like crying that very moment.

"I don't understand why too." Stacy cried. "But I guess this is just… love knows no reasons. Do I sound so dramatic now?"

"Yes."

"Thought so… So what you say Cena?" Stacy asked with a smirk on her face and grabbed John's collar.

"I love you too?" John said. "Like I have a choice?" he said and smiled

"Good!" Stacy said and kissed him again.

"That kiss never gave me choice…" John said and chuckled. "I love you Stacy Marie Keibler."

Meanwhile,

"Aww, they're so sweet!" Torrie squealed.

"Want me to give you a kiss too then?" Marc asked hopefully.

"You're getting so addicted." Torrie said and laughed.

**-THE END-**

_a/n: **Ummm... surprise, surprise... it's the end of this fic... i'm really sorry guys... but tell me what you think... was it lame? was it okay? hit me a review... i'm really sorry if i had to end this without prior notice... it's just that i'm starting college soon and i need to minimize my workload... hehe... hope you understand... now my concentration will be on my other fic... so please keep reading it... anyway... just tell me what you think, aight? **_

**_thanks for having the time to read this fic.. it means a lot to me...love you guys!_**


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